Far‑right influencer spotlights Israel’s growing political coarseness

Wearing a baseball cap and brandishing his smartphone like a weapon, Mordechai David spends his time filming people without their consent.

Recently, he aimed his lens at the family of an Israeli filmmaker whose documentary “NAZA,” lauded at the Venice Film Festival, sharply criticizes Israel’s actions in the Gaza war.

“You are not welcome!” he yelled through a megaphone while livestreaming footage of dozens of fellow protesters outside the home of Rachel Szor’s parents, who co‑directed the film with Yuval Abraham.

The 27‑year‑old David is among the most conspicuous figures fueling the coarsening of Israel’s political discourse ahead of the October 27 elections, which will serve as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hard‑right government.

His specialty involves tracking down left‑wingers or anyone deemed “unpatriotic,” publicly berating them, and posting the footage online—a tactic that delights his 150,000 social‑media followers.

“Social media can be more powerful than television,” David told AFP in a rare interview.

“This week alone I posted a few videos that each surpassed one million views.”

His targets, whom he peppers with insults, have included Lucy Aharish—an Israeli Arab who became the first Muslim anchor on Hebrew‑language television—and Aharon Barak, the 90‑year‑old former Supreme Court president and vocal critic of the government’s judicial reforms.

“Age doesn’t grant you a free pass,” David said, comparing the judge to Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike earlier this year.

David accused the retired judge of “taking control of the State of Israel,” a hyperbolic claim that mirrors Netanyahu’s campaign against the judiciary while he faces corruption charges.

– Channelling anger –

As in many countries, a growing number of Israelis—particularly the young—have turned away from traditional media toward online influencers who promote provocative, ideological messages.

In Israel, these divisions are especially pronounced; the country held five elections between 2019 and 2022.

This month’s vote will be the first since the trauma of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched the deadliest attack ever against Israel.

Achiya Schatz, founder of the research group Fake Reporter, which monitors online debates and disinformation, said David illustrates “the level of polarization in Israeli society and the way belligerence has become normalized.”

“A significant portion of the Israeli right wing feels ignored and sidelined,” he said.

“Mordechai David channels their belligerence into political expression and entertainment.”

David has faced repeated complaints that his videos constitute harassment.

His notorious behavior has made him a favorite of Channel 14, a television network aligned with the ruling right‑wing coalition.

David is closely allied with Itamar Ben Gvir, the far‑right national security minister who has bolstered his profile with violent statements, including calls for the killing of Palestinians.

Ben Gvir has recruited David for his campaign team, producing content that has secured a following among young voters for the 50‑year‑old Jewish supremacist.

David began as an ordinary counter‑protester during the mass movement preceding October 7, which opposed Netanyahu’s planned judicial overhaul aimed at curbing judicial independence.

Following the attack, he gained notoriety by aggressively infiltrating pro‑hostage demonstrations in Gaza, denouncing Israelis who advocated ending the devastating war early to secure the hostages’ release.

David proved “his instinct for showmanship,” Schatz said.

However, his content often diverges sharply from reality.

– Feeding polemic –

In mid‑September, days before the Jewish New Year, David ostentatiously attempted to organize a gender‑segregated prayer session in Tel Aviv’s bustling Dizengoff Square.

Gender segregation is customary among many Orthodox Jews, but it is prohibited in public spaces by the government of socially liberal Tel Aviv.

David approached women on the street, inviting them to the women‑only section. When they declined, he filmed their reactions; in the end only about 20 men participated, under close police surveillance.

When police moved to dismantle the gender‑segregation barriers, a brief commotion erupted as the men booed.

However, when David posted the scene several hours later, the edited footage conveyed the impression of a major clash—a violent confrontation in Israel’s secular heart.

“You only need a few people to spark an incident that yields ten videos, hundreds of posts, television coverage, and several days of political polemic,” Schatz said.

“The physical event is merely the backdrop; the real audience is online.”

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