Israeli Party Member Details 'Vile Campaign' of Harassment
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Lali Darai of the Am Israel party described a "vile campaign" of harassment, including phone calls and signs near homes, aimed at forcing her party out of the Knesset race. She criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his reaction to a party member's resignation and stated that personal attacks have invoked the memory of her fallen son. The campaign intensified after Dovide Ben Zion, a deputy head of the Samaria Regional Council, resigned from the party due to pressure on his family.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Lali Darai of the Am Israel party detailed a "vile campaign" of harassment against her party.
- The campaign includes constant phone calls, signs near homes, and personal attacks, even invoking her fallen son.
- Darai criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his reaction to Dovide Ben Zion's resignation from the party.
- Dovide Ben Zion, deputy head of the Samaria Regional Council, resigned from Am Israel due to pressure.
- Signs were posted near Ben Zion's home and Darai's local synagogue as part of the pressure campaign.
Lali Darai, a member of the Am Israel party, has spoken out against what she describes as a "vile campaign" of pressure and harassment aimed at forcing her party to withdraw from the Knesset race. In an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Darai detailed the tactics, which she says include constant phone calls, signs posted near families' homes, and personal attacks, even invoking the memory of her fallen son.
Darai stated that the campaign involves "disgusting reactions on social media" and signs in their communities, including near school buses, all because they "dared to offer something new." She asserted that the party, which was formed after the October 7th attacks, aims to change the public discourse and that opponents are resorting to tactics like posting AI-generated images and demanding their withdrawal instead of engaging with their platform.
She also criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his reaction to the departure of Dovide Ben Zion, a deputy head of the Samaria Regional Council, from the Am Israel party. Darai pointed to Smotrich's "gloating" on Twitter about Ben Zion's resignation as an example of poor political conduct.
The pressure has extended to Darai's own community, with signs appearing in and around the local synagogue. Darai recounted that a rabbi and other residents removed the signs themselves, emphasizing that "the way of the land precedes the Torah and precedes politics." She expressed uncertainty about who is behind the campaign, suggesting they lack the courage to confront her directly about her party's plans.
Darai revealed that the personal attacks have included the exploitation of her son's memory, stating, "they have taken my son out of the grave dozens of times to tell me how much I am betraying his memory." Despite her anger and hurt, she insists on acting with reason. Her comments come a day after Ben Zion announced his resignation from the Am Israel party, citing pressure on him and his family, including signs posted outside his home calling for his withdrawal due to the party's low poll numbers.
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