Former Likud MK’s Campaign Clip Provokes Complaints

The Israeli election campaign increasingly borders on incitement and bad taste.

Former Likud MK Oren Hazan, currently running as head of the Tzomet party, released a video which shows him shooting the outgoing Arab MK Jamal Zahalka to death.

An outraged Zahalka said he is filing a complaint with the police and the Central Elections Committee for incitement to murder, and has asked social media companies to remove the clip.

Meretz demanded that the Central Elections Committee ban the campaign ad, charging that it incites racism and violence.

In response, Hazan was unapologetic: “It’s a shame that whiners and grumblers are concerning themselves with a humorous video, while terrorists sit beside them in the Knesset.”

Meanwhile, the New Right Party released a parody perfume ad that has the left stewing.

In a video, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, co-founder of the party, is seen spraying herself with a perfume labeled “Fascism.”

A narrator lists her achievements: “Judicial revolution. Reducing [judicial] activism. Appointing judges. Governance. Separation of Powers. Restraining the High Court of Justice.”

Shaked says: “It smells like democracy to me.”

The message was unclear and the reaction mixed. Some were upset that it looked like Shaked was in favor of fascism.

Meretz MK Mossi Raz said: “Attacking the courts, violent occupation, incitement against Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel – that is what Shaked calls democracy. I wonder what she thinks is fascism.”

A New Right spokesman explained that Shaked’s shakeup of the judiciary represent “democracy and not fascism as people on the Left are complaining.”

“We’re proud of it,” the spokesman said. “People are understanding that this election is a referendum on the Shaked Revolution and returning power from the High Court to the public.”