Jerusalem - Israel goes to the polls next month facing Middle East turmoil and growing diplomatic isolation, but campaigning has been dominated by the lifestyle of the prime minister and his wife.
One might be forgiven for thinking that the conduct of Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara is the most important issue facing Israel.
Between comic and sometimes bizarre videos on social networks, simplistic sloganeering, personal jibes and a total absence of serious debate, rarely has a campaign sunk so low, political scientists say.
President Reuven Rivlin agrees.
"When the slogan is the be all and end all, we are left with a problem," he said of electioneering for the March 17 vote.
The incoming government will have to deal with a raft of serious issues.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, international aid agencies and diplomats are all warning of another outbreak of fighting with Israel unless conditions in the poverty-stricken territory improve.
While prospects for peace with the Palestinians remote, in the north the Syria conflict is also exerting new pressures.
With just eight million citizens, Israel looks on with deep disquiet at the spread of jihadist groups in the region and sees the influence of arch-foe Iran everywhere.
Domestically, Israel enjoyed enviable economic growth of more than 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, despite the costly July-August Gaza war and unemployment running at 5.7 percent in December.
AFP
