Mysterious Golden Netanyahu Statue ‘Toppled’ in Tel Aviv
Image by getty images
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A golden statue of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared overnight in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square, only to be knocked down hours later by Israelis.
Israeli sculptor Itay Zalait placed the sculpture mounted on a white platform as a political statement and called on the public to “topple” it. He said it was the first in a series of political-artistic acts he is planning.
Hours before the 5-foot-tall statue was removed Tuesday by Israelis, the municipality placed a notice on the sculpture warning that it would remove the piece and charge the artist unless he removed it within four hours.
The appearance of the statue was the top story on news reports Tuesday morning and created lively debate on Facebook. Some referred to the piece as a “golden calf,” using a biblical reference, and many stopped to take selfies with it.
“Many people in Israel refer to Benjamin Netanyahu as ‘the King Bibi,’ so it was only natural to put the king on the square of the Kings, the previous name of Rabin Square,” the artist told The Associated Press. “I just want to ask the question, like, to see if it’s going to make some change in the people’s mind.”
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
