Eyal Berkovich Slams Netanyahu's 'Cynical' Use of Student's Trauma

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a video on social media platform X showing the prime minister traveling to school with an 11th-grade student during the opening of the academic year. The student, Yarin, reportedly overcame a social crisis. The video also features Netanyahu speaking with students at the "Draka" school in Lod about the upcoming year and the importance of accepting others, addressing the issue of school boycotts by stating, "We must respect everyone's differences. The phenomenon of boycotts is unacceptable."

However, former footballer Eyal Berkovich sharply criticized the prime minister's actions during a radio broadcast on 103 FM with Eral Segal. Berkovich accused Netanyahu of being "cynical and dirty" for using the student's experience with social ostracism for political purposes. "This cynical, dirty person, he picked up a girl who went through a boycott. Do you know how interesting this girl is to him? As much as I care about growing lettuce in the territories," Berkovich stated, suggesting the move was intended to distract from other issues, specifically mentioning Sara Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, accompanied by Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Lod Mayor Yair Rabivo, attended the opening ceremony at the school, named after Maxim Levi. The prime minister's visit and the subsequent video release have sparked a debate regarding the appropriateness of using personal stories of hardship for public relations.