Why a Jordanian rap group is threatening to sue Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is the latest politician to be threatened with legal action by musicians for using a song in a campaign seemingly without their consent.

Jordanian rap group’s Torabyeh's music is sampled in his latest campaign video which depicts Isis fighters travelling to Jerusalem and warns on the consequences of a win for Netanyahu’s left-wing opponents in the forthcoming Israeli elections.

In the short film the ‘militants’ meet another driver and ask him in Hebrew “how do we get to Jerusalem?” to which the man replies “take a left.” “The left will give in to terror,” a message on the screen reads.

In a statement on Facebook widely reported by Israeli media, the band write they will take legal action against Netanyahu, saying: “We strongly condemn and reject this ruthless infringement of intellectual property rights and the distortion of the reputation of Torabyeh. .. Torabyeh group will take all necessary legal action against those responsible.”

It adds that by associating the Jordanian band with Isis, Netanyahu's campaign may have put their lives "at risk". “The use of the song in the particular context cannot be considered anything but deliberate propaganda of the Zionist right for the purpose of electoral propaganda and attacking the so-called Zionist "left wing". Furthermore, it implicates the Torabyeh group by containing serious accusations of terrorism and association with Isis which is consequently putting the group’s members lives at risk.”