Netanyahu takes Obama's consultants
Photo: AFP
Netanyahu hires 2 of Obama's advisors
After designing website similar to that of US president-elect, Likud chairman recruits Obama's consultants to help him in his election campaign
After designing a website similar to that of Barack Obama, Likud
Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu
has now hired two of the US president-elect's advisors to help him in his election campaign.
The man who mediated between Netanyahu and the American consultants was Ron Dermer, one of the Likud chairman's strategic advisors who formerly served as Israel's
minister for economic affairs in Washington.
On Thursday the opposition leader finalized the employment of Bill Knapp and Josh Isay, who have worked in recent years with candidates of the Democratic Party in the United States, as well as former President Bill Clinton, Senator Joe Lieberman, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and president-elect Obama.
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Adar Shalev
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Knapp and Isay arrived in Israel several days ago and held a series of meetings with strategists Israel Bachar and Ron Dermer, as well as with Netanyahu himself.
On Thursday the two advisors agreed to work with the former prime minister and to close monitoring his election campaign in Israel.
The Likud chairman has hired American advisors in all of his election campaigns, the most famous one being Arthur Finkelstein, who is now working with Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party.
According to estimates in the political arena, Netanyahu has completed the round of professional appointments for his election campaign. The two American advisors will join the opposition leader's team, which includes bureau chief Ari Harow, spokesman Yossi Levy, strategist Roni Rimon, advertiser Shaya Segal and political advisor Shalom Shlomo.
