Tel Aviv is promoting events in partnership with organizations associated with the far-left Kaplan protests, including an event organized by the municipality’s youth department for the day before the election that will focus on the importance of voting and participation in the democratic process. Among the groups set to take part in the event are organizations that also operate within initiatives connected to the Kaplan protests—raising questions about the municipality’s collaboration with these groups ahead of the election.
2+Encouraging voting and increasing civic engagement are worthy goals, but in this case the question arises: why did the municipality choose to partner specifically with organizations identified with the protests, some of which are also involved in initiatives related to the upcoming election?
Among the organizations expected to run the event are “The Pink Front” and “Merima,” which also operate as part of “Election Command Center”—an initiative of the Kaplan protest leadership. According to information we obtained, these organizations are also taking part in the campaign and election apparatus of the Halatz party “Kol HaDerech,” which was initiated by activists in the Brothers in Arms organization, including Eyal Naveh and Michal Binish, alongside Ran Har Nevo’s company “Yalla Tikva.”
2+Another organization that received sponsorship from the Tel Aviv municipality to participate in running the event is “Generation Change.” According to the information, the organization received funds from the “Blue and White Future” association, an organization that manages and funds Kaplan protest activities.
These partnerships raise questions about the nature of the event and the selection of participating groups, especially given its proximity to election day. In the background stands the public positions of Mayor Ron Huldai regarding the upcoming election.
Following this, we contacted Tel Aviv municipality and asked why it is conducting partnerships with organizations identified with the Kaplan protests as part of municipal events ahead of the election.
2+Tel Aviv municipality responded: “The events in question are being done as part of a variety of municipal activities and events promoting social and civic engagement in general ahead of the election.”
The municipality added: “These are not party events, and care was taken to ensure that the event content would not be political-partisan, and indeed, the various groups taking part in the event are not political or partisan bodies. Among the events that took place—a fake news workshop, learning about the election process, lectures on the cost of living, a game assembling the state budget, and more.”