Haaretz co-owner Leonid Nevzlin criticizes publisher’s remarks on Israel’s wartime actions

Leonid Nevzlin, co-owner of Haaretz, publicly expressed his strong disagreement on Friday with statements made by Amos Schocken, the newspaper’s publisher, regarding Israel’s policies in the West Bank and Gaza.

Schocken’s remarks at a Haaretz conference in London described Israel’s governance in these territories as a “cruel apartheid regime” and referred to certain Palestinian terrorists as “freedom fighters.” 

The comments led to significant backlash, including multiple Israeli ministries announcing they will sever ties with Haaretz.

Nevzlin, a prominent Russian-Israeli businessman and philanthropist, co-founded the Yukos Oil Company in Russia before relocating to Israel in 2003. 

Since then, he has been actively involved in numerous philanthropic and cultural initiatives in Israel, including supporting educational institutions and cultural projects.

He became a partner in Haaretz 13 years ago to help the paper through a challenging financial period, emphasizing his commitment to liberal values and the importance of a free press.

“I wish to express my complete disagreement with Amos Schocken’s stance on the events of October 7 and the current war,” said Nevzlin. 

“His recent statements are appalling, unacceptable, and inhumane, showing a shocking lack of sensitivity toward the victims of that tragic day, the casualties of the ongoing war, the hostages and their families, and the people of Israel as a whole.”

Nevzlin noted that Schocken’s comments conflict with Haaretz’s core values, his own values, and those of the newspaper’s staff. 

“I regret that Amos used Haaretz’s platform to share his personal, extreme views without clarifying that they were solely his own,” he added.

Ministries boycott Haaretz over Schocken's comments

Schocken’s remarks have led to a strong response from multiple Israeli ministries, including the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, Interior Ministry, Education Ministry, and Economy and Industry Ministry.

The Diaspora Affairs Ministry was the first to announce it would suspend all cooperation with Haaretz, describing Schocken’s comments as “extreme, baseless, and false.” 

The ministry also condemned Schocken for labeling Palestinian terrorists as “freedom fighters,” calling this “false, outrageous, and severe incitement.”

In a letter dated October 31, Avi Cohen-Scali, director-general of the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, stated that his office, along with the Bedouin Authority, would halt any future partnerships with Haaretz. 

Cohen-Scali emphasized that the ministry could not collaborate with any entity that he claimed aligns itself with “the central drivers of delegitimization” against Israel.

Following the Diaspora Affairs Ministry’s decision, the Education Ministry and Interior Ministry took similar actions, stating that Schocken’s comments contradicted their values. 

The director-general of the Education Ministry released a statement criticizing Schocken’s remarks as inconsistent with the ministry’s principles.

Later, the Economy and Industry Ministry also joined the boycott, marking a rare unified stance by several government bodies against a major Israeli newspaper.

Legal and political implications

Justice Minister Yariv Levin has escalated the situation by requesting that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara draft legislation to criminalize any Israeli who promotes or encourages international sanctions against the state, its leaders, or its security forces. 

The proposed law would carry a 10-year prison sentence, doubled to 20 years during wartime.

Nevzlin reiterated his belief that Haaretz must recommit to impartial journalism that reflects diverse perspectives. 

“Despite any subsequent apologies from Amos, I believe Haaretz has an obligation to uphold its core values without bias, ensuring it represents a full spectrum of views. True democracy requires recognizing all perspectives and delivering objective information,” Nevzlin said.

In his concluding remarks, Nevzlin shared his hopes for “the safe return of Israeli soldiers, recovery for the wounded, resettlement of civilians, and the release of all hostages.”

All names and entities have been verified for accuracy via the Internet.