Winter's Party Faces Controversy Over Candidate's Past Statements
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The 'Am Israel' party, led by Ofer Winter, is facing controversy over past statements made by candidate Netali Sham Tov, who is ranked third on its list. "Srugim" revealed tweets and articles where Sham Tov expressed views considered left-leaning, including criticism of West Bank bus segregation and remarks during the Elor Azaria incident. She also questioned civilian casualties in Gaza during Operation "Shield and Arrow." The party defended Sham Tov, asserting she is a woman of the right who has long held her positions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netali Sham Tov, third on Ofer Winter's 'Am Israel' party list, faces scrutiny over past left-leaning statements.
- Sham Tov's writings include criticism of West Bank bus segregation and remarks on the Elor Azaria incident.
- She questioned civilian presence in Gaza during Operation "Shield and Arrow" and the use of human shields.
- Sham Tov is also associated with the "Movement for Public Journalism," which receives funding from the New Israel Fund.
- The 'Am Israel' party defended Sham Tov, calling her a "woman of the right."
Less than two weeks before elections, the party 'Am Israel' led by retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter is embroiled in controversy over remarks made by one of its prominent candidates. The website "Srugim" revealed a series of tweets and articles written over the past decade by Netali Sham Tov, who is ranked third on the party's slate. Her past statements position her significantly to the left of the party's hawkish platform.
Sham Tov, a former presenter for Channel 12 and 13 news, joined the party in August. This revelation follows a recent controversy surrounding another party candidate, Yosef Haddad, who expressed support for a Palestinian state. According to the "Srugim" report, Sham Tov questioned on X (formerly Twitter) in March 2016, during the Elor Azaria incident, what would have happened "if not for the B'Tselem camera." In a column published on Channel 12's news website, she criticized the decision to segregate Palestinian and Jewish passengers on buses in the West Bank, calling it a disgrace and an affront to Israeli democracy, despite the stated security reasons for the measure. She also criticized left-wing Knesset members for focusing on international reactions rather than the decision itself.
In 2014, amid escalating conflict in the south, she sarcastically compared a small budget increase for the region's children to hundreds of millions of shekels allocated to deepen Israeli sovereignty in East Jerusalem. During Operation "Shield and Arrow," prior to the October 7th attacks, Sham Tov questioned live on air whether civilians were present in a Gaza apartment that was targeted. When challenged by a user, she stated she would always regret the deaths of innocents used as human shields by terrorists, adding that this was also Israel's position and that civilian casualties impact legitimacy and public diplomacy.
According to "Srugim," Sham Tov is still listed as a team member leading activities in the north for the "Movement for Public Journalism," an organization founded by left-wing activist Yair Tretzkii. The New Israel Fund is listed as a partner of the movement, having provided a $20,000 grant in 2019. The "Am Israel" party dismissed the allegations, stating, "They are afraid. Netali Sham Tov, who has paid heavy prices for her right-wing positions for years, does not need to prove to the Israeli public that she is a right-wing woman."
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