The elections for the 20th Knesset, in which the Likud movement received the public's trust, are no longer a one-off parliamentary event. In my opinion, this is a defining event, in the political context.
Indeed, there has never been an election campaign of this type in Israel.
The reason: For the first time, all masks were removed and all gloves were taken off.
For the first time, the relationships between politicians, foreign billionaires, and the media were exposed for all to see. If until now these were rumors, a movement like V15 arrived and openly acted in favor of a particular side.
If until now European countries have interfered in the Israeli election campaign under the guise of 'peace talks' and the like, the recent elections have arrived and the goal of replacing Netanyahu has become more visible than ever.
If until now newspapers and media outlets in Israel have refused to admit their political orientation, and have preached under the auspices of 'freedom of speech' against one side in sophisticated ways, the last election campaign arrived, and senior journalists in Israel openly declared that they were waiting for the day when Netanyahu would be replaced.
Why did this happen? What was different this time?
It turns out that these forces were convinced that this time they had a chance to overthrow the right-wing rule, which had lasted for so many years from their perspective.
They threw everything they had into the fray: billionaires from abroad, the media, dubious affairs when they were convinced that this time it would happen, and 'they had nothing to lose.'.
Take, for example, the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. Until now, everyone knew that the newspaper was biased against Netanyahu, but in the last elections, its leaders chose to remove all masks - including their own.
To the best of my memory, there has never been such blatant conduct and coverage, even in a newspaper that is so identified with the loathing of the Prime Minister.
This is how every "item" managed to get a headline, like the ridiculous bottle scandals and the Prime Minister's dormitory; and this is how a report by the Comptroller, which normally interests no one, gets the space reserved for the headline.
Legally problematic cases, about which serious questions can be raised, such as the funds of the V15 associations, in which tens of millions of dollars were poured into Israel, were almost never reported, and when they were written about, it was done nonchalantly, as if it were an esoteric case that happens every day.
The elections that have had such a profound impact on the left bloc have repercussions that reach right up to this day. A clear example of this is the gas plan, which the Prime Minister has been trying to pass in recent weeks.
The economic commentators in the general press have a clear and visible line: those who support the plan have been silenced, those who oppose it have been empowered. But just like in the elections, the public is not 'buying' this commodity.
This, then, is the secret of the recent elections: people are tired of the media's attempts to deceive them, and they almost automatically go against the media.
Thus, an ironic situation is created: when there are scales and Netanyahu stands on one hand in front of the media, the public will choose to march with him, even if he has disappointed them.
In this respect, Netanyahu has also won in the long term, and he has no intention of going anywhere.
• Matti Tochfeld is the political correspondent for Israel Hayom.'
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