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Four years after winning first place in Israel’s Big Brother reality show in what has been hailed the single most effective act of vegan promotion, vegan activist Tal Gilboa has announced her plans to join Israel’s ruling centre-right to right-wing Likud party should Prime Minister Netanyahu secure her a place in the party’s primaries.
As Israel is heading toward its 21st elections in April, the PM is expected to give his decision in the coming days.
Gilboa has made it clear that she would not run in the primaries and will only join the party if she is offered a secure place. She has formed a friendship with the PM’s son, a lifelong vegetarian who is taking meaningful steps toward veganism, after he agreed to partake in a campaign to raise awareness about undercover investigation that was carried out inside a slaughterhouse.
Working with the Prime Minister
Since then Gilboa has been working closely with the Office of the Prime Minister. “For the first time I felt that animals have a voice which is heard in the most powerful place in the country,” she told Plant Based News.
“This cannot be overlooked, and I can say from a personal experience in working together with the Netanyahu family that they care about the plight of animals. It is important that the PM is surrounded by good people who care about animals.”
Gilboa stated that the Prime Minister was personally involved in promoting legislation for the cessation of live shipments to Israel despite strong pressures from inside the coalition and from abroad.
Animal rights and politics
Asked if she believes that animal liberation has a place in a nationalist environment, Gilboa replied: “Animal Liberation is consistently associated with Leftist liberal thinking. This is a misconception. Veganism has a place in every section of society. There are many vegans who don’t hold left-wing political views and there is no problem with this.
“This may not appeal to everyone, but fundamentally, when people understand our struggle and the voice that we can give the animals inside the political arena, they welcome the move. Many vegans have told me that they will vote for any party I choose to endorse.”
