Over recent weeks, members of Israel’s dati leumi community, particularly residents of areas of Yehuda and Shomron, have been referred to as “law-breakers, fanatics, extremists”, and a “danger to democracy” to name a few terms. The leading culprit is the daily Yediot Achronot, dati leumi organizers report, which hosts articles and a host of columns – along with its popular ynet news site. Also being targeted in the boycott effort are Israel Channels 2 and 10 News, which effort leaders feel are too biased in reporting.

The organizers feel the most effective way to strike back is to announce a boycott of companies advertising in Yediot, such as “Machsanei Chashmal” electronics and SuperPharm. Regarding Channel 2 and 10, they are planning to target Orange (cellular telephone provider), AIG and ‘012’ telephone services. Towards achieving the goal, the Yediot Watch blog has been established in Hebrew. A comprehensive list of the major advertisers being targeted appears in the blog.

In his column in the weekly B’Sheva newspaper, affiliated with the Arutz-7 network, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, rosh yeshiva of the Har Bracha Hesder Yeshiva expressed his support for the boycott effort. He feels if the “lifeline of the secular news” is cut off, the decision-makers will realize why and how this occurred.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)