Netanyahu's testimony contradicted by Likud ad spending records

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified on Wednesday for the second day at his corruption trial, where he claimed that the Likud Party had not spent any money on advertising on Walla during the 2015 elections. However, his claim was refuted by advertising spending records. 

In an attempt to downplay the significance of Walla and thereby refute claims that he acted on behalf of Shaul Elovitch to manipulate the site's coverage, Netanyahu explained that during the 2015 elections, the Likud Party did not advertise on the platform.

Netanyahu was questioned about the importance he attributed to Walla, which he previously described as "insignificant and without influence" during preparations for the 2013 elections, and about the Likud Party purchasing advertisements on the site. 

Netanyahu said, "We set up campaign headquarters whose role was to disseminate messages and allocate resources. There was an assessment of viewership, and it declined during the campaign. In the following elections (2015), Walla received zero shekels from the campaign budget."

However, a review by Ifat Media Research contradicts Netanyahu's claim, revealing that Likud actually invested significantly in the 2015 campaign. 

Likud paid for banners worth an estimated NIS 283,300

Specifically, in January 2015, two months before the elections held on March 17, 97 banners worth an estimated NIS 283,300 were published on the site, according to Ifat. The party's advertisements appeared across various sections of the platform.

By the standards of digital campaigns, especially a decade ago, hundreds of thousands of shekels in a single month is far from a negligible sum. In fact, it is relatively high by industry standards.

Interestingly, the Likud’s advertising on the site ceased in February and early March. The reasons remain unclear. One explanation is that Likud may have been aware of a covert investigation by the Israel Securities Authority at the time and halted all ties immediately as a precaution.

Another possibility is a professional decision to reallocate media resources based on perceived ineffectiveness. However, even if the latter is true, it is unusual for such changes to be implemented so abruptly. Regardless, it is difficult to claim that not a single shekel was spent on Walla when the record shows that hundreds of thousands of shekels were invested in the campaign.

Meni Avrahami, CEO of Ifat Advertising Monitoring, stated, "Ifat monitors the advertising activities of numerous brands and organizations in real-time across a wide range of platforms. Upon reviewing data at Walla’s request, it was found that Likud invested a significant sum in Walla during January 2015."

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s relationships with media moguls continue to come under scrutiny. For the first time, Netanyahu admitted yesterday to being in contact with Keshet owner Moshe "Muzi" Wertheim, who passed away in 2016. 

"This is the most natural thing in the world; it is not corrupt. A public figure who understands his role does this," Netanyahu said. He also commented on the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, stating, "Channel 14 is growing from nothing with minimal investment," he remarked.

Today, Netanyahu further testified that he once recommended Avi Weiss for the position of CEO of Channel 2 News to Wertheim. Netanyahu justified his longstanding efforts to influence the media, claiming they were aimed at promoting diversity.