LONDON: Feminists across social media have slammed the Israeli Tourism Ministry’s latest advert as too masculine and one that sets a double standard.
The minute-long video sees Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov playing a James Bond figure as he goes around famous cities and landmarks in Israel.
He showcased his mild resemblance to Bond actor Daniel Craig, even taking a shot of himself shirtless in the sea. However, this sparked widespread criticism from feminists.
This Israeli Ministry of Tourism ad is wild. It features the Minister of Tourism as James Bond-esque and the music choice is just wow. Ok masculinity, ok double standard because a woman minister could NEVER. https://t.co/ZvlX8Dj7RP
— Dr. Noa Balf נועה באלף نوعة بالف (@NoaBalf) October 16, 2022
“This Israeli Ministry of Tourism ad is wild. It features the Minister of Tourism as James Bond-esque and the music choice is just wow. Ok masculinity, ok double standard because a woman minister could NEVER,” tweeted Dr. Noa Balf, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Kansas and a member of the Haifa Feminist Institute.
תקופת בחירות. שימוש בצרכי המשרד לצרכי תעמולה. אם מירי רגב הייתה עושה סרטון של המשרד שבו היא שרה, היה כאן זעזוע ותדהמה על השימוש הציני
— איציק כהן (@itsik_cohen1983) October 16, 2022
Another tweet, translated from Hebrew, read: “Election period. Use of the ministry’s needs for propaganda purposes. If Miri Regev (former minister of culture and sport and minister of transportation) made a video of the office where she sings, there would be shock and astonishment at the cynical use.”
However, others pointed out that former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked posed as a fashion model in an ad where she sprays “eau de fascism” on herself. “A woman minister did worse — and got away with it,” reporter Noga Tarnopolsky tweeted.
A woman minister did worse– and got away with it. https://t.co/V9ZdWqHuE3
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) October 16, 2022
Balf replied to Tarnopolsky saying: “I do think a woman politician could not get away with eroticizing her job in this way. Shaked’s eroticism was allegedly a critique of perceptions of her. He is using masculine sex appeal for self promotion and she used it to highlight her claim of bias.”
In a tongue-in-cheek play on the famous Bond catchphrase, Razvozov tweeted: “The name is Israel. State of Israel.”
He added: “I thought about how I can personally help the marketing of Israel and in spreading the good and beauty that we have here in Israel to the world.” It is unclear whether the video was state- or self-funded.
