Testimonies reveal: Thousands of shekels for favorable coverage of Shas — "threatened to harm"

Media figures from the Haredi sector describe a pattern of operation allegedly intended to influence the coverage of Shas chairman, MK Aryeh Deri.

According to an exposé broadcast last night (Tuesday) on the main edition of Channel 13 News, public relations specialist Yanki Bichler, considered very close to Deri, acted against Haredi media outlets with the goal of preventing critical publications and even bringing about their removal after they had gone live.

One of the public testimonies came from Yehuda Rost, one of the owners of the news group "Zman Emet". Rost said that he published an article from Channel 12 News that included recordings in which rabbis were heard speaking out against Deri. Shortly after the publication, he claims, Bichler called him in an agitated state and demanded the article be removed.

According to Rost, when he refused to comply with the demand, Bichler allegedly even threatened to harm him. Subsequently, he claimed, publications that reached him from a series of large entities in the economy that worked with Bichler were stopped. Among the entities that Rost listed are Egged, Tnuva, and Meuhedet Health Fund.

Additional testimonies indicate that the pressure, allegedly, did not end with threats to advertising budgets. Three Haredi media figures, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed that financial offers were made to them, directly or through other parties, in exchange for not publishing negative information concerning the Shas party or its leader.

Alongside the alleged attempt to prevent criticism, media figures also spoke about payment provided in exchange for favorable publications for Shas. According to them, in some cases, the content was presented to readers as regular journalistic publication, without noting that payment had been made for it. The amounts described in the testimonies ranged from hundreds or thousands of shekels to tens of thousands of shekels, depending on the scope of the deal and whether it was a single publication or a broad advertising package.

The testimonies paint a picture of a combined use, allegedly, of financial incentives on one hand and the exertion of economic pressure on the other. Through connections with companies and entities with significant advertising budgets, it is claimed that it was possible to reward positive coverage and simultaneously deter media outlets that chose to voice criticism.

Shas responded to the Channel 13 report:

"Shas works according to the law, with close legal accompaniment. We are confident that there is no blemish in our conduct. It is interesting that Channel 13 chooses to ignore the tens of millions of illegal shekels invested in the Haredi sector against the Haredi parties by left-wing organizations."

Yanki Bichler responded: "Let the envious die — I have chosen the path of faith."