A new propaganda clip from Hamas featuring the visage of Israeli model Bar Rafaeli and aimed at Israeli viewers threatens to become another dancefloor hit, after a song debuted during Operation Protective Edge became so popular with Israelis that it was used as a phone ringtone and even played at weddings.
The new song, “Never to become a soldier,” is sung in Hebrew with subtitles in Arabic. It is in the familiar so-called “Middle Eastern” pop style which swept Israel’s airwaves long ago: a mixture of Greek and Arabic influences with a euro synth-pop arrangement.
The lyrics are in the first person, with the speaker saying how he would not want to join the army but would prefer to be a supermodel (yep). At that point in the clip images of Israeli model Bar Rafaeli appear on the screen, apparently as posters in some unknown teen’s room.
Later on the clip shows Israelis cowering in stairwells during siren alerts and coffins draped with the Israeli flag, as well as images of mangled APCs. It is not clear whether the footage is taken from Operation Protective Edge or other conflicts.
A still from a Hamas clip featuring images of Bar Rafaeli. (Screen capture: Facebook)
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel