Netanyahu Campaign Censors Student Union Chairwoman's Questions
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
The chairwoman of the Tel Aviv University Student Union, Gal Shinoter, refused to conduct an interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his campaign advisors censored several of her questions. The disallowed questions pertained to Netanyahu's responsibility for the October 7th attack, the judicial reform, and higher education policies. The Likud party claimed the report was inaccurate and the interview was postponed, but Shinoter stated it was canceled due to the censorship and changed conditions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu's campaign advisors censored questions on October 7th responsibility and judicial reform.
- Student Union chairwoman Gal Shinoter refused to interview Netanyahu due to censorship.
- Two disallowed questions directly addressed Netanyahu's responsibility for the October 7th massacre.
- Censored questions also covered higher education, judicial reform, and Haredi schools.
- The Likud party denied the report, stating the interview was postponed, not canceled.
Campaign advisors for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party reportedly censored numerous questions prepared by the chairwoman of the Tel Aviv University Student Union, Gal Shinoter, ahead of a planned interview. The interview was scheduled to be filmed late at night at the Likud's propaganda studios in Petah Tikva, with the condition that the questions be submitted in advance.
After negotiations, seven out of seventeen questions were either fully or partially rejected. Two questions that were entirely disallowed concerned Netanyahu's responsibility for the October 7th Hamas attack. One asked about responsibility stemming from authority, even without a state inquiry commission, and the other inquired what the government could have done better since October 7th.
Other censored questions included one about the government's proposed judicial reform prior to October 7th and whether it would be pursued similarly in the future. Shinoter also intended to ask about the personal cost of difficult decisions made during the war, but the latter part of the question was deleted. The campaign advisors also blocked questions regarding the accessibility and cost of higher education in Israel, and a question about preferential treatment for Arab students in university admissions.
Furthermore, questions about the funding of Haredi educational institutions that do not teach core subjects were also prohibited. Shinoter stated that campaign officials had conducted an online background check on her, referencing her past activism against the draft law and gender segregation on campus.
Shinoter ultimately left the studio without conducting the interview, citing a lack of respect for the thirty thousand students she represents. She was reportedly told that the interview was a great honor for her, to which she responded that she was there to represent students, not for personal gain. The Likud party issued a statement claiming the report was inaccurate and that the filming was postponed due to scheduling issues, not canceled, and would be rescheduled. However, Shinoter maintained that the filming did not take place.