Etrog (political term)
Encyclopedia
Etrog
has become an epithet in the Israeli politics
for a politician whom journalists prefer not to criticize in order to pave his way to a certain political position, or in order to promote common interests. The first use of this metaphor
is attributed to the Israeli journalist Amnon Abramovich. In February 2005, during Ariel Sharon
's campaign to promote his disengagement plan
, Abramovich (who supported the plan) said that Israeli journalists should treat Sharon like an etrog: as long as the disengagement plan was not completed they should cherish him and refrain from attacking him, but once the plan was carried out they should treat him like an etrog after the holiday is over, i.e. stop protecting him. This metaphor caught on quickly, and today it is not uncommon to use the term as a verb, e.g. "The press etrogs certain ministers" (לְאַתְרֵג).
Etrog
Etrog refers to the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jews on the week-long holiday of Sukkot.While in modern Hebrew this is the name for any variety of citron, its English usage applies to those varieties and specimens used as one of the Four Species...
has become an epithet in the Israeli politics
Politics of Israel
The Israeli system of government is based on parliamentary democracy. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the Knesset. The Judiciary is independent of the executive...
for a politician whom journalists prefer not to criticize in order to pave his way to a certain political position, or in order to promote common interests. The first use of this metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
is attributed to the Israeli journalist Amnon Abramovich. In February 2005, during Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
's campaign to promote his disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
, Abramovich (who supported the plan) said that Israeli journalists should treat Sharon like an etrog: as long as the disengagement plan was not completed they should cherish him and refrain from attacking him, but once the plan was carried out they should treat him like an etrog after the holiday is over, i.e. stop protecting him. This metaphor caught on quickly, and today it is not uncommon to use the term as a verb, e.g. "The press etrogs certain ministers" (לְאַתְרֵג).