Netanyahu's Call to Boycott PUSH Causes Immediate Follower Loss
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to boycott the Instagram news page PUSH led to a loss of 5,000 followers in 48 hours. The page's founder, Itzik Peretzan, recently regained full control after legal disputes and subsequent investment rounds. The incident highlights the power of political influence on social media and the page's significant valuation, now estimated at 10 million shekels.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to boycott PUSH caused the page to lose 5,000 followers in 48 hours.
- The Instagram page PUSH saw its follower count drop from 968,000 to 963,000 after Netanyahu's directive.
- PUSH founder Itzik Peretzan recently regained full ownership of the brand for approximately 6 million shekels.
- The brand's valuation reached 12 million shekels with new investors, but recently settled at 10 million.
- Peretzan now holds 93% of the company after repurchasing a 35% stake from Forever.
- Netanyahu accused PUSH of being a "propaganda channel" serving his political rivals.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to boycott the Instagram news page PUSH has resulted in an immediate loss of approximately 5,000 followers within 48 hours, reducing its count from 968,000 to 963,000. Netanyahu labeled the page a "propaganda channel" serving his political rivals and urged a mass unfollow. This incident highlights the significant influence of political directives on user behavior and the vulnerability of independent digital assets, valued in the millions of shekels.
The rapid decline in followers is particularly notable on Instagram, where unfollowing requires active effort, unlike simply ignoring content. The swift action by thousands of followers on a popular, long-standing account nearing one million followers demonstrates a potent ability for rapid political mobilization translating into direct online action.
The situation places PUSH founder, media personality Itzik Peretzan, at a critical juncture amidst business and legal turmoil. Peretzan, who initially founded the brand as "Real-time Reports," sold 90% of its rights in 2021 to the Saar brothers' "Israel Entertainment" for 90,000 shekels, retaining 10% and his role as editor-in-chief. However, the partnership dissolved in early 2025 due to mutual accusations, with Peretzan alleging editorial interference for commercial and political reasons, and "Israel Entertainment" accusing him of seizing company digital assets.
A settlement in August 2025 saw Peretzan regain full ownership for approximately 6 million shekels. Subsequently, Forever, owned by Moti Sharf, acquired a 35% stake, with another 7% going to an entity linked to the Weinberger Rentental law firm, valuing the brand at around 12 million shekels with Peretzan holding 58%. Most recently, Peretzan repurchased Forever's 35% stake for about 3.5 million shekels, increasing his ownership to 93% and solidifying his near-exclusive control over the independent content empire. The brand now faces direct confrontation with top political figures, underscoring the shift of public discourse battles to social media platforms.
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