Eisenkot Ultimatum to Netanyahu: No Election Propaganda During Broadcast

The Yisrael! party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, has sent an urgent warning letter to Tomer Turgeman, CEO of the Sports Channel, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected appearance at a football match not be used for political campaigning. The letter, sent just nine days before the Knesset elections, specifically requests that any speeches or "propaganda segments" during Netanyahu's visit to the Beitar Jerusalem vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv game be prevented, with the possibility of real-time interruption.

The party argues that the timing of Netanyahu's visit, so close to the elections, raises concerns that his presence will be exploited for campaign purposes. The letter states it is "clear that the visit will be exploited for election propaganda within the broadcast" and notes that the Prime Minister does not "regularly attend football matches, and it is clear that his arrival at the game stems from its proximity to the elections."

Yisrael! clarified that they do not object to Netanyahu attending the stadium or to legitimate news and sports coverage of his visit. However, they insist that his presence should not be given undue broadcast prominence. The party demands written confirmation by 3 PM on the same day that the necessary instructions have been given to production, editing, and broadcast teams to avoid transmitting propaganda messages during the game and its accompanying broadcasts.

Furthermore, the party is prepared to switch to a different camera shot or cut the relevant segment if election propaganda is broadcast. Yisrael! also warned that if there is a genuine concern of prohibited election propaganda being aired, they will consider an urgent appeal to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for a restraining order.