Culture Minister Miki Zohar blasts opposition and media “character assassination” after his proposed appointment of Yair Netanyahu to a senior WZO role ignites political firestorm.
Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar took to Channel 12 News on Saturday night to break his silence over the controversy surrounding the World Zionist Organization (WZO) elections — and his proposal to appoint Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to head the WZO’s Public Diplomacy Department.
Zohar made it clear: the decision was his — not the Prime Minister’s.
“I came to the conclusion that our national institutions need renewal and fresh energy,” he said. “I offered Yair the role myself. When he accepted, I was thrilled — he’s articulate, patriotic, and deeply committed to the Zionist mission.”
The uproar began when opposition representatives, including members of Yesh Atid, learned of the nomination just hours before the WZO committee convened. Zohar accused the media of orchestrating a “character assassination campaign” against the Netanyahu family, claiming the left folded under populist pressure.
“Once the media heard Yair’s name, they went berserk,” Zohar asserted. “This wasn’t about qualifications — it was about the Netanyahu name. Israel’s left and their media allies can’t stand the idea of a proud Zionist voice they can’t control.”
Zohar stressed that Yair Netanyahu, who has long been active in pro-Israel advocacy abroad, would have been barred from political activity and focused solely on strengthening Israel’s global image.
“He’s returning home, ready to work — not to tweet,” Zohar said. “It’s time to separate the hysteria from reality.”
Responding to a viral clip of his tense exchange with Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf of Otzma Yehudit, Zohar didn’t mince words:
“I won’t be intimidated by Ben Gvir’s media fanatics. Likud stands for governance and strength, not theatrics.”
Meanwhile, Yesh Atid lashed out, labeling the proposal “a disgraceful act of nepotism,” vowing to block “anyone who divides Israeli society from abroad” — a thinly veiled attack that many in Likud see as another attempt to smear the Prime Minister’s family for political gain.
Behind the noise, one fact remains: Yair Netanyahu — a passionate advocate for Israel on the world stage — continues to symbolize the generational handover of Zionist conviction, unbowed by left-wing cynicism or media frenzy.
