Former MTV VJ turns down Bennett
Jewish Home party invites TV personality Eden Harel to join list, but she’d rather take care of her newborn daughter
Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett turned to television personality Eden Harel to run on his far-right wing party’s list, only to be turned down for what Harel said were family-related reasons.
Harel, who gave birth to a second daughter a month ago, did not completely rule out joining the party, but was unable to devote herself to politics due to the new addition to her family, Channel 2 reported Sunday.
In an interview with Channel 2, Harel elaborated on her reason not to run for the upcoming Knesset election: “It’s not my time to go into politics — I have a month-old baby. It requires total dedication that I cannot commit to at the moment.”
Bennett, in an effort to broaden the voting base and profile of his surging nationalist party, has been trying to secure a popular female candidate for Jewish Home ahead of Thursday’s deadline for submitting party lists.
Harel, who is married to Israeli television host Oded Menashe, hosted a radio show and a number of television and award shows throughout her career, including a long stint as an MTV Europe video jockey during the 1990s.
The tattooed celebrity, famed for her spunk and daring fashion style, has reportedly become increasingly religious in the past few years and recently joined the staff of Israel’s conservative cable Channel 20.
After Harel declined the Jewish Home’s invitation, the party responded in jest by making a reference to two other female Israeli celebrities: “After the refusal of Bar Refaeli and Gal Gadot — we are galloping ahead.”
