After Prime Minister Netanyahu invited MK Gantz to face a televised confrontation before the election, media advisers refer to the two possibilities for success or failure of such status • Does the "underdog" have a chance to outdo the "magician"?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call for MK Benny Gantz to take part in a televised confrontation with him was answered last day by a blanket rejection by a blue and white chairman. What does such a confrontation mean, and is it a bad idea for the prime ministerial candidates? In talking to "Israel Today", political experts refer to Netanyahu's move and Gantz's non-response.

Netanyahu invites Gantz to a confrontation // courtesy of the open studio Channel 20

Businessman and communications consultant Aviv Bushinsky, who previously served as one of Netanyahu's communications consultants, thinks the prime minister's proposal for a showdown is a brilliant move and that the conflict between candidates as required in the United States should be required by law.

"I often criticize the prime minister, but the call for a confrontation is his brilliant move," says Bushinsky, a journalist in his past. "Benny Gantz's claim that this is a spin is silly. Apparently, it is better for him to agree to a confrontation because he is seen in the media field as an underdog over Netanyahu and so he has nothing to gain from such a confrontation. Where is there a spin? Worse, the response Netanyahu has to confront his prosecution witnesses is Disrespect and the border of patronage. The fact that there are prosecution witnesses does not mean that he is guilty. Also, Gantz said on the Knesset channel in the past and two other media that he is ready for such a confrontation, so what has changed? "

Bushinsky adds, "It is imperative to enact clashes of this kind in Israel. In the United States, there is an independent joint committee that deals with this and candidates must face it. This is very critical in an era when politicians are being engineered under the guise of media consultants, or the likes of Netanyahu There is a politician here who does not make it difficult for him to be interviewed by sympathetic media outlets such as Netanyahu, and, on the other hand, a candidate like Gantz who is using the helpers or telephonists, which only emphasizes the need and obligation in such conflicts, where the public meets the candidate outside of all his political engineering.

"After the confrontation, it is also possible to check whether what the candidate said is real or Pike. In addition, such a move has an effect on public opinion. In 1996, we saw how it affected the Netanyahu and Peres elections. Concerning the conflict between Benny Gantz and Netanyahu, I believe that both sides There is a vested interest in going to such a confrontation to try to break the political case. Conflict can move two mandates from side to side and that is how it can be decided. I understand why Gantz is afraid. Netanyahu has a large arsenal of arguments that explain why he is fit, and on the other hand the campaign of blue and white is concerned Choose who is indicted and have no other argument. "

Photo: Ofer Freiman / Frames production

Tami Shinkman, communications consultant, strategy and political campaign manager, who led the public campaign for the release of Gilad Shalit and served as communications adviser and spokesman for Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer believes that "the prime minister took a calculated risk when he proposed the confrontation."

She claims that "Netanyahu assumes that Benny Gantz's main weakness is in his authenticity in conveying messages. It is repeatedly seen that when Gantz is prepared for interviews he does not come out authentic and does not control the narrative of the message. There have been a lot of examples and see how he clings to the message and gets confused or "Netanyahu knows how to control the narrative of the message because of his extensive experience in front of a camera. Therefore, Netanyahu assumes that Gantz will refuse and he earns it from him because he can claim that Gantz is a coward."

However, according to Shinkman, MK Gantz has a chance to succeed in the confrontation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, as was the case with Itzik Mordechai at the time, which completely surprised Netanyahu who came to interview Nissim Meshal and Mordechai succeeded in dimming his professional ability and refuting his image as a political magician. For Gantz if he finds it appropriate to stick to the message of corruption.

"It is important to understand that interviewing in the essence studio is not one against the other, but that they are both talking to the public. There is a great deal of power to create a bridge (the ability to turn your question around and repeat it in a way that will assimilate in the public consciousness, AG). Furthermore, in such a confrontation one must know how not to enter into unanswered questions and return the discourse to the message. Bottom line, the fact that Netanyahu was the first to offer the confrontation gives him credit for not being deterred by the other party's attacks. I believe that such a confrontation will create ratings and can inspire the public to take an interest in the election that is currently completely indifferent to them. "

Strategic Advisor Amnon Shomron explains that "Netanyahu's advantages over Gantz in a potential conflict are quite clear and well-known. Ability to stand, speak and present successes versus potential untested."

Samaria says that if the media pressure to continue the confrontation continues, "Gantz will find it difficult to evade, but his interest is to pull time to increase the pressure from Netanyahu's people, and when he comes to the conflict, he will be considered a safe loser and any achievement will be credited. Gantz should be built for the conflict as none He has no chance against the stubborn Netanyahu. The confrontation does not reflect leadership skills but theatrical skills in which Netanyahu excels. Gantz can only be surprisingly good. "

Samaria is also returning to a confrontation between Itzik Mordechai and Prime Minister Netanyahu ahead of the 1999 elections. "Mordechai's entire achievement was only because he did not lose knockout when the Mehadrin claimed that he also won," explains Samaron. Netanyahu can seemingly lose. But in a confrontation with a quality interviewer or interviewers and with surprising questions in professional fields of economics, society, transport, health and foreign policy - it will take Genz to understand and understand a lot of details that no prior preparation by consultants will know. The test between the two will not amount to the appearance but to the discovery of expertise and professionalism - and here Netanyahu is expected to defeat Gantz. "

Shomron adds that "in the final account and the 'yes / no bibi' election, Gantz would have better not risk. He has no capabilities and rebels. Another stuttering or two will be fatal to him. He lacks any real knowledge in the field of state administration. The silences have proven to him to be true and worthwhile. "Netanyahu needs to show his reluctance to be cowardly.