Golden statue of Bibi erected, knocked off pedestal
A golden statue of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared overnight in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square, only to be knocked down hours later. Israeli sculptor Itay Zalait placed the sculpture as a political statement and called on the public to topple it. He said it was the first in a series of political-artistic acts he is planning.
Before the 5-foot-tall statue, which had sat atop a white platform, was pulled down, the municipality placed a notice on it warning that unless the artist removed it, it would be taken down.
The statue was the top story on news reports and sparked lively debate on Facebook. Some people called it a “golden calf,” and many stopped to take selfies with it.
“Many people in Israel refer to Benjamin Netanyahu as ‘King Bibi,’ so it was only natural to put the king on the Square of the Kings,” the artist told the Associated Press. (Rabin Square’s original name was the Square of Kings.) “I just want to ask the question, like, to see if it’s going to make some change in the people’s mind.”
JTA Wire Service
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