Minister Naftali Bennett at a Bedouin employment center. Photo: Israeli government.

Israeli elections are coming up soon – and that means some smart campaign videos are on the way. And in this era, branding and viral videos are essential to promoting campaigns (and also the State of Israel).

I wrote last election cycle about Danny Danon and Naftali Bennett. As I said then, “they both speak ‘American,’ and have strong positions on Israeli security, not clouded by self depreciating liberal Jewish ideas. If they were liberals one could expect fawning editorials about them in American media outlets.”

These two young politicians recently produced two great viral videos that have attracted considerable media attention.

The first is courtesy of Naftali Bennett, the current economy minister, and head of the right-wing “Jewish Home” party. The video features Bennett dressed as a stereotypical Tel Aviv resident who spends time constantly apologizing. In this era, where Israel is attacked not because of the “settlements,” but because of her very existence, it’s a smart, well-done, and cute video. Current polls show Bennett’s party is projected to be one of the largest parties in Israel, and he has shown himself to be a well-regarded national leader. Bennett’s video urges Israel to “Be Proud. Stop Apologizing.”

The other well-done political video comes courtesy of 42-year old Danny Danon, who is the former Deputy Defense Minister and a leader in the Likud Party. Danon’s video condemns Arab MK Hanin Zoabi who openly opposes the State of Israel, supports Hamas, and recently published an article on Hamas’ website encouraging an Islamist uprising against the Jewish State.

The article also encouraged Arab countries to help stoke a “popular uprising” against Israel, halt security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority police in Judea and Samaria, and lay siege to the region. She put the word “Israel” in quotation marks throughout the article, and said: “[. . .] we must besiege ‘Israel’ instead of negotiating with it.” Zoabi has said that Israel has “no right to a normal life,” and that Israel should “thank her” for allowing Jews to live in the Jewish State. She defended the brutal kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens in the summer, stating that the abduction was a “legitimate” way to “fight the occupation.”

Watch Danon’s video here – which rightfully features the great Revisionist Zionist leaders Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Menachem Begin. Zoabi complained to the Israeli police about the video – claiming Danon was committing incitement for releasing a video where he is depicted as a sheriff who locks her up for supporting terrorists.

These videos are well done, excellent public relations ideas.