Kidnapped family, News 12/screenshot, News 12
In the message, a public relations person accompanying some of the families of the abductees asked to "respect the Leimberg family's wish not to be interviewed" - this at a time when they were already closed for interviews
The interests, the combines and the trade in items with and at the expense of the families of the abductees: on Saturday, the Weekend News broadcast a long article by Menachem Horvitz with Gabriela Leimberg who spoke after 53 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Leimberg, 59 years old from Jerusalem, and her daughter Mia (17) were kidnapped while they were staying with Clara Marman (64), Gabriela's sister, who hosted them at her home in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7.
The family's story moved many, among other things, due to a video taken upon their release in which Mia was seen being put into the Red Cross vehicle while holding her dog Bella - who many thought was lost.
Upon arriving at the meeting point in Israeli territory, Mia and Gabriela made a first phone call to the family - with Mia continuing to hold the dog Bella.
Brother Fernando Merman (60) and Clara's partner, Luis Herr (70), remained in captivity.
However, on Monday, five days before the broadcast, an unusual message was received by journalists from various systems on behalf of the MHLB headquarters - the national control center for the families of the abducted, captives and missing persons, which is under the auspices of the Director General of the Prime Minister's Office, Yossi Shelly. In the message, a person requested Public Relations Elad Sassi, who accompanies some of the families of the abductees and is involved in various types of activities around them, to respect the Leimberg family's wish not to be interviewed - all while they were already closed for an interview with News 12
.
The family thanks for the support but needs their privacy.
I will request that a sweeping directive be issued to all reporters to avoid contacting them and to respect their wishes," it said.
Message from the POW headquarters/screenshot, WhatsApp
Wow!
Barangay learned that the request included a requirement that the announcement be focused only on the television systems - direct competitors of News 12
Sassi, as mentioned, has a background in accompanying the families of abductees, alongside other officials operating at the scene such as the headquarters of the abductees under the management of Ronen Tzur and the headquarters of the captives and the missing under the direction of Gal Hirsch.
Sassi even met the members of the Leimberg family in Ichilov upon their release, when Hirsch took over the media responsibility for the families of the abductees, this after the fiasco that occurred around the interviews given by Yochaved Lifshitz, which led to the termination of the work of hospital spokesman Avi Shoshan.
In a conversation with Walla! Branch Sassi denied that he was the one who "closed" the interview with the weekend news editor of News 12 Raviv Golan, and explained that he sent the message at the request of M.H.L.B headquarters. Focus only on the television systems - direct competitors of News 12. Let's remember: all this while the interview itself has already closed and may have already been filmed for the program
. The Directorate of Prisoners and Missing Persons has
Hadas Peretz, who assumed her position about a week ago, gave a slightly different version of the story.
According to her, in any case, the new director is not behind the announcement.
"We are not the spokespersons for the families. It could be that upon release they asked not to be interviewed and after 60 days they decided something else."
The message, we will recall, was sent a week ago.
More in Walla!
Sources here are news: headquarters of the abductees is segregating us due to vindictiveness.
Ronen Tzur: Things have no dawn
To the full article
Moshe Leimberg, his wife Gabriela and daughter Mia together with their dog Bella./Courtesy of the family
This is not the first time that allegations of "trafficking" and interpersonal considerations have been heard on the backs of the families of the abductees.
About a month ago it was revealed in Vala!
Branch that according to several sources in the corporation's news, in the central abductee headquarters run by Ronan Tzur, the company's writings are almost completely confiscated and systematically prevented from returning abductees and their families from being interviewed for the current affairs programs here 11.
According to the sources, the section began after an article by one of the Avishai corporation's legal commentators Greenzeig - according to which Ronan Tzur, who is in a fight with Channel 14, worked behind the scenes as a strategic advisor to the channel.
Following the article, Zur initiated legal proceedings against the corporation.
It is also claimed that an interview of Ayelet Samrano, the mother of Yonatan Samrano who was kidnapped in Gaza, contributed to the division, with Ayla Hasson in which she received an extensive platform to state her claims against the conduct of the abductees headquarters.
More on the same topic:
Gal Hirsch
weekend news
Dana Weiss