Meretz apologizes for using girl's image

Photograph of youngster Na’ama Margolis, who was harassed by ultra-Orthodox men on her way to school, removed from party ad

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The head of the Meretz party apologized for using the picture of a girl who was harassed by ultra-Orthodox men outside her school in a campaign ad.

Zahava Gal-On apologized to the mother of Na’ama Margolis on Sunday, saying that as soon as the party was aware that the ad was problematic, the photo was removed.

Meretz, a left-wing party, had used a photo of Na’ama, who became well known throughout Israel after her story was covered on television and in newspapers. The 8-year-old had been harassed outside her school in Beit Shemesh, outside Jerusalem.

Na’ama’s mother, Hadassah, sent a letter of complaint to the Central Elections Committee requesting that a newspaper headline and her daughter’s photo be removed from the ad, saying that she did not want her daughter’s image used to endorse any political party.

Hadassah Margolis said she also had refused to participate in campaign events for the political slate that she supports, Likud-Beytenu.