Eisenkot’s party puts up billboards accusing Netanyahu, Magal of ‘disparaging Mizrahim’ after ‘monkey’ slur

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Opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has put up billboards accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “disparaging Mizrahim” after an ally of Netanyahu called Eisenkot a “monkey” on air.

Eisenkot is of Moroccan heritage and would be the first Israeli prime minister from a Mizrahi, or Middle Eastern Jewish, background if he wins the October 27 election.

Last night, Yinon Magal, a commentator on the pro-government Channel 14 and a vocal supporter of Netanyahu, repeatedly called Eisenkot a “monkey,” and asserted that he was “managed” by Ashkenazi Jews. Opposition figures, including Eisenkot, slammed the remark as racist, and Netanyahu also condemned it while saying members of his Likud party faced worse.

Now, Yashar has erected billboards attacking Netanyahu and Magal over the remark.

A picture of Eisenkot is captioned “He will unite Israel,” while opposite, a picture of Netanyahu and Magal is captioned, “Disparaging Mizrahim.”