Story perspectives

Likud Smears Mamdani on Billboard With Iran, Hezbollah

8/19/2026

Center

Likud Billboards Opponents

Likud placed Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem on an Israeli billboard before the Oct 27, 2026 election.
The billboard is framed as a campaign tactic portraying Netanyahu’s opponents as hostile to Israel.
President Donald Trump said he may endorse a candidate in the Israeli election.
Zohran Mamdani publicly called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.

Left

Likud Smears Mamdani

Likud placed Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside Mojtaba Khamenei, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem on a billboard before Oct 27, 2026 election.
Billboard was framed as a smear linking Mamdani’s Gaza criticism to extremist figures, raising concerns it could inflame ethnic tensions.
Mamdani called Netanyahu a criminal and sought an ICC arrest warrant for his UN visit.
Polling showed Mamdani more popular among Jews than Netanyahu, indicating shifting diaspora support.

Blindspot

Polling data showed that Mayor Zohran Mamdani is more popular among American Jews than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting a shift in diaspora support.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In May 1977 the Likud party led by Menachem Begin won 48 Knesset seats, ending nearly three decades of Labor-Alignment dominance—a shift known as the Mahapach. The victory followed internal Labor turmoil, with Yitzhak Rabin resigning in April and Shimon Peres taking the leadership. The upset reshaped Israeli politics, establishing right-wing coalitions that still influence campaign tactics today.

1 of 4

Likud Billboards Opponents

Likud placed Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem on an Israeli billboard before the Oct 27, 2026 election.
The billboard is framed as a campaign tactic portraying Netanyahu’s opponents as hostile to Israel.
President Donald Trump said he may endorse a candidate in the Israeli election.
Zohran Mamdani publicly called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.

1 / 4