Ben-Gvir's 'Yalla Out' Voicemail Sparks Outrage

The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, distributed millions of automated phone messages across Israel on Friday, featuring his voice shouting "Yalla, Yalla, Yalla" in Arabic, followed by "Sami Abu Shehadeh." The messages, sent between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. from an unidentified number, celebrated the disqualification of Balad Party chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh from running in the Knesset elections. Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, stated that the minister "succeeded in removing Sami Abu Shehadeh and preventing him from entering the Knesset." The message also vowed to continue targeting other Arab party leaders, specifically mentioning Knesset members Ofer Cassif of Hadash and Ahmad Tibi of Ta'al.

Many recipients expressed their displeasure on social media platform X, with some describing the calls as "disturbing." One user questioned why Ben-Gvir was calling them with such a message, while another expressed frustration at being woken up before Shabbat by the recording. Several users criticized the tactic, with one stating they would not vote for Ben-Gvir "no matter what their opinion is" solely based on this action. Others questioned the legality and appropriateness of the calls, with one user asking, "How is this not spam and punishable by a long prison sentence or at least permanent phone confiscation?"

The controversy arose following the Central Elections Committee's decision to disqualify Abu Shehadeh, a move supported by Otzma Yehudit. The automated messages were sent after this decision, aiming to amplify the party's perceived victory.