Why one Israeli campaign is calling artists 'traitors'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians have condemned the Im Tirtzu campaign labeling Israeli artists as traitors, but the group's activities against human rights activists continue unabated.
About a week ago, the far-right organization Im Tirtzu ran a billboard campaign dubbed "cultural plants" (also known as “moles in culture” or “foreign agents”), denouncing artists and intellectuals who support peace and human rights organizations. The campaign seems to have come to a very happy end. The heads of the organization have accepted “full responsibility for their erroneous post.” They even thanked those “who pointed out the mistake” to them.
The campaign had met a barrage of condemnations from across the political spectrum. Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon said, “This instigating campaign does not represent the moderate right, and certainly not the Likud Party and its values.” The chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, tweeted that the campaign was “embarrassing, unnecessary and humiliating.” Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev tweeted, “Insulting people based on their views is unacceptable.”
After a slight delay, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the chorus, saying he “opposes the use of the word ‘traitor’ to describe those who disagree with me,” and added, “We are a democracy and there is [room for] a multitude of opinions.”
It goes without saying that the opposition seized the opportunity to denounce the insult against Israel’s artists. The chairman of the Zionist Camp, Isaac Herzog, described the campaign as “McCarthyism” and opined, “The good-for-nothings leading the campaign will disappear, as they did in the United States. The only question is when and at what cost to us.” The chairman of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, cried out that “the insanity must stop” and insisted, “This is the time for everyone who cherishes the State of Israel to take a stand against this wild incitement.”
