Journalist Slams Election Polls, Citing Manipulation for Netanyahu
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Journalist Chaim Levinson accused Channel 14 and pollster Shlomo Filber of manipulating election poll results to benefit Prime Minister Netanyahu. Levinson claimed the poll's graphic presentation of Arab parties was changed to show a tie, a narrative he believes Netanyahu desires. Former footballer Eyal Berkovic also criticized the poll, challenging Filber to resign if other major polls prove more accurate. Filber, a former government official and campaign manager, recently sold his stake in his polling company.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Journalist Chaim Levinson accused Channel 14 and pollster Shlomo Filber of manipulating election polls.
- Levinson claims the poll's presentation of Arab parties was altered to create a narrative of a tie.
- The poll showed the right-wing bloc with 61 mandates and the left-wing bloc with 59 mandates.
- Former footballer Eyal Berkovic also criticized the poll and challenged Filber's accuracy.
- Shlomo Filber previously managed Netanyahu's Likud campaign and was a state witness in "Case 4000."
Journalist Chaim Levinson has sharply criticized a new election poll published by Channel 14, accusing the station and its pollster, Shlomo Filber, of manipulating the results to benefit Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud party. The poll, released Sunday, showed the right-wing bloc with 61 mandates and the "left" bloc along with Arab parties receiving 59 mandates. Levinson alleged on his X account that the channel changed its graphic presentation of Arab parties, previously shown separately, to now be grouped together. He suggested this change, along with a reduction in the Likud party's projected mandates, was intended to create the appearance of a tie, which he claims is Netanyahu's desired outcome.
Levinson further accused Filber of being a "fraudulent, deceitful, and lying scoundrel," claiming the new presentation reflects a "new message sheet." He pointed out that while Filber's poll indicated the right-wing bloc would secure 61 or 62 mandates, it assigned only 30 mandates to the Likud, contrasting with other polls from Channels 12 and 13 that showed the Likud with 18 mandates.
Former footballer and media personality Eyal Berkovic also attacked Filber's poll on the radio program "103FM." Berkovic stated that if Filber's poll proves accurate, he would publicly apologize and praise Filber as a "superstar." However, he challenged Filber to resign if the polls from Channels 12 and 13 turn out to be correct.
Shlomo Filber has a history in Israeli politics, having served as the CEO of the Yesha Council and the Ministry of Communications. He was a state witness in "Case 4000," which involved allegations of misconduct by senior figures at companies like Bezeq and Walla. Filber managed Netanyahu's Likud campaign in the 2015 elections and was a pioneer in using digital data systems for voter mapping. He recently announced the sale of his stake in his research company, Direct Polls.
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