Amid Israel's heated election campaign, the progressive newspaper is one of the last news organizations openly critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies. It has published investigations into the right-wing and far-right coalition. The government has accused it of treason and taken retaliatory measures over its coverage of the war in Gaza.
In southern Tel Aviv, a lone security guard watches over the headquarters of Haaretz. The renowned Israeli daily newspaper, whose name means "the land" in Hebrew, recently hired him to strengthen its security measures. On the night of July 7 to 8, a masked individual threw two bricks at the glass entrance door of the newsroom. A month later, a suspect believed to have targeted other Israeli news organizations was arrested and charged. In a claim letter referencing Haaretz among other targets, the alleged assailant wrote: "Next time, one of these bricks will be aimed at one of your heads. Someone will end up dying."
Despite the violence and threats, the newspaper refuses to barricade itself. To access its offices, you simply pass through a security gate that opens with a magnetic badge, then climb a staircase decorated with photographs and large paintings signed by Israeli and Palestinian artists. On the first floor, among several television screens and rainbow flags hanging from the ceiling in support of the LGBTQ+ community, long rows of computers accommodate several dozen journalists from the newsroom.
In the basement, behind a door displaying a sticker that reads "Fuck Ben Gvir" – referring to the minister of national security, a Jewish supremacist who is part of the current far-right governing coalition – there is a large gym equipped with a ping-pong table that leads to a brand-new recording studio.
There, on Sunday, September 27, in the early afternoon, Linda Dayan, Judy Maltz and Allison Kaplan Sommer recorded their weekly podcast, Haaretz Podcast Election Edition, which analyzes the Israeli legislative election campaign, scheduled for a month later, on October 27.
You have 89.96% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
