![Naftali Bennett, head of the far-right Bayit Yehudi party, is silhouetted as he talks to students at a pre-army training course as he campaigns in the Shapira Center near the southern city of Ashkelon January 20, 2013. Israel will hold a parliamentary election on January 22. Bennett has emerged as the surprise success story of the country's election campaign, with polls predicting his party will win some 13 seats, and that a cabinet post for Bennett is likely. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS ELE](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/11/RTR3COUO.jpg/RTR3COUO.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=8IydOptc)
![Mazal Mualem](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2022-09/mazal%20book%202.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=28S04G5r)
In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Mazal Mualem is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Israel Pulse and formerly the senior political correspondent for Maariv and Haaretz. She also presents a weekly TV show covering social issues on the Knesset channel. She is the author of "Cracking the Netanyahu Code" (published 2022). On Twitter: @mazalm3
![Naftali Bennett, head of the far-right Bayit Yehudi party, is silhouetted as he talks to students at a pre-army training course as he campaigns in the Shapira Center near the southern city of Ashkelon January 20, 2013. Israel will hold a parliamentary election on January 22. Bennett has emerged as the surprise success story of the country's election campaign, with polls predicting his party will win some 13 seats, and that a cabinet post for Bennett is likely. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS ELE](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/11/RTR3COUO.jpg/RTR3COUO.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=8IydOptc)
![Former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (3rd R) is surrounded by members of the media as he leaves the Magistrate Court in Jerusalem, after he was acquitted in a corruption trial November 6, 2013. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Lieberman back to government on Wednesday after the ultra-nationalist politician was acquitted of corruption charges. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX1523M](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/11/RTX1523M.jpg/RTX1523M.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=Lidfrf80)
![Former Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman is seen in Jerusalem's magistrate court at the continuation of his trial, April 25, 2013. Lieberman was indicted on charges relating to the promotion of an Israeli diplomat who had illegally given him information about a police investigation against him. The allegations led Lieberman, a key ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to resign from cabinet last December. REUTERS/Uriel Sinai/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW) - RTXYZEJ](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/11/Lieberman.jpg/Lieberman.jpg?h=6c6b25af&itok=D99E7dRx)
![Aryeh Deri (C), leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, attends an annual pilgrimage to the gravesite of Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, a Moroccan-born sage and kabbalist also known as the Baba Sali, in the southern town of Netivot January 14, 2013. Powerful political players for years, Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties must now reckon with a new force ushered in by voters bent on stripping them of perks they have relied on for decades. Picture taken January 14, 2013. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/11/AryehDeri1.jpg/AryehDeri1.jpg?h=6c6b25af&itok=ToNhR7lT)
![Ultra-Orthodox protesters take part in a demonstration at a construction site in the town of Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem August 15, 2013. For a third day in a row some 100 ultra-Orthodox men on Thursday clashed with police during protests against ongoing construction at a site they believe contains ancient Jewish graves. An Israeli police spokesperson said 7 ultra-Orthodox protesters were detained on Thursday during the clashes. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (ISRAEL - Tags: BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION RELIGION CIVIL UNRE](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/Orthodox%20%20win.jpg/Orthodox%20%20win.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=cFLvBNR8)
![Israel's President Shimon Peres (R) meets head of the Bayit Yehudi party Naftali Bennett at Peres' residence in Jerusalem January 31, 2013. Peres began talks with political parties on Wednesday over who should form a new government and appears certain to ask incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assemble it. REUTERS/Sebastian Scheiner/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3D6TK](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/Bennett.jpg/Bennett.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=CzTE-eeK)
![A supporter of the left wing Meretz party campaigning for municipal elections hangs balloons next to campaign posters of Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat in Jerusalem October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTX14JPY](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/elections.jpg/elections.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=TYc4SCQR)
![A general view shows the plenum as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the opening of the winter session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem October 14, 2013. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX14AZT](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/Knesset.jpg/Knesset.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=y2UuHT7f)
![Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem October 20, 2013. REUTERS/Abir Sultan/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX14HMB](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/BibiElections.jpg/BibiElections.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=TeSj-YJH)
![Gasov Hasson.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/Gasov%20Hasson.jpg/Gasov%20Hasson.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=nCL2s028)
![Aryeh Deri (C), leader of the ultra-religious Shas political party, looks on near the body of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of Shas, before his funeral at a seminary in Jerusalem October 7, 2013. Yosef, an Iraqi-born sage who turned an Israeli underclass of Sephardic Jews of Middle Eastern heritage into a powerful political force, died on Monday at the age of 93, plunging masses of followers into mourning. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION OBITUARY) - RTX142ZS](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/10/AryehDeri.jpg/AryehDeri.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=q5QalYTp)