New Media in Israel

This bulletin covers the period period 8 – 11 January 2018. Israeli social media networks got caught up on two issues. The more significant of the two was one about recordings documenting the Prime Minister’s son, Yair Netanyahu, exposing his father’s shady deals while in a strip club.

An Israeli top-rated news broadcast aired recordings of Yair Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s son, in a salacious outing visiting a series of strip clubs in Tel Aviv, Monday evening.

In the recording aired by Hadashot channel, Netanyahu’s son and his friends are heard discussing the thousands of shekels they paid that night for strippers. He is also heard asking for money from his friend (the son of a wealthy businessman) considering that the Prime Minister advanced a controversial gas deal to the benefit of his friend’s father; exposing the Prime Minister’s relationship with high powered tycoons.

This recording sparked outrage on Israeli social media, and stole the thunder of any other incident. Comments on this matter varied amongst those who criticized the disparaging comments made by young Netanyahu about women that night, and those further exposing his father’s relationship with wealthy tycoons reinforcing rumours of corruption about the latter. While others disapprove of the conduct of the spoiled son, living in debauchery and luxury at the taxpayer expense.

The second issue that shook the Israeli social media networks was the shooting of an Israeli settler Tuesday evening. The Israeli settler died, after he was seriously wounded close, to Havat Gilad Settlement to the South of Nublus in the occupied west bank.

The Israeli social media networks demanded punishment for Palestinians, including the Palestinian leadership, for this incident.