Azrieli reverses course after refusing anti-government ad on Tel Aviv mall building

21 January 2023, 5:46 pm

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An aerial view of the Azrieli compound area. (Oren Kfir via iStock by Getty Images)

Azrieli Group briefly refuses to allow the Haaretz daily to publish an anti-government message on a digital billboard on its mall in central Tel Aviv, the newspaper reports.

“Haaretz” sought to publish an ad on the Azrieli mall with the slogan “Democracy does not end with elections,” but was denied.

Amid backlash and threats of boycotting over the move, Azrieli reverses course.

הסרטון שנאסר להקרנה ע״י קבוצת עזריאלי בגלל המילה ״דמוקרטיה״ ???? pic.twitter.com/UwCKYokBB2

— Noa Landau נעה לנדאו (@noa_landau) January 21, 2023

In a statement, the group says it “is careful to operate in the business sector without taking sides on political issues.”

However, it said that with “public discourse at a boiling point and with various groups wishing to make their voices heard on a wide range of issues, we’ve decided to cancel this policy… out of a belief in true democracy that allows the range of political positions to be heard.”

Later, an ad on the face of the Azrieli Mall building declared: “Supporting democracy — Azrieli Group.”