Democrats and Histadrut Officials Fund Covert Campaign Against Right-Wing Journalists and Politicians

A covert smear campaign targeting right-wing journalists, research institutes, and politicians in Israel has been traced back to senior figures within the Democratic Party and the Histadrut labor union. The campaign, which has been running for several months, involved significant funding for online ads and social media groups that negatively portrayed right-wing media figures such as Channel 14 journalists and Amit Segal from Channel 12, as well as right-wing government members and organizations like the Kohelet Forum.

The campaign operated under the name "HaMivzak HaHevrati" (The Social Bulletin) and was linked to the nonprofit "Solidarity Israel," an organization originally established during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist those in need. Investigations revealed that "Solidarity Israel" is led by Eliran Byahovsky, a senior Democratic Party official and member of its constitutional committee, alongside Itamar Avitan, a senior Histadrut strategist. Despite initial public declarations connecting the campaign to the nonprofit, references were later removed following inquiries.

Funds were used not only for negative advertisements but also for creating WhatsApp groups disseminating critical content against the right. The campaign also included paid promotions against the Kohelet Forum, accusing it of "taking over the state," and against right-wing government ministers. Concurrently, the nonprofit promoted favorable paid content for specific figures such as Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David, Naama Lazimi, and Ya Ya Pink.

According to the Israeli Registrar of Associations, "Solidarity Israel" has had no financial activity or proper management since 2023, suggesting that the actual funding source behind the campaign remains anonymous. The campaign has been conducted with no transparency and involves large sums of money, raising concerns about manipulation of public opinion and lack of disclosure to Israeli authorities. Neither Byahovsky nor Avitan responded to requests for comment.