The Israel Victory Project (IVP) is using the chicken to "demand an end to the cowardice and to achieve victory over Hamas," according to a press statement. The statement "Stop being afraid. Demanding Israeli victory," is printed on the chicken.
Members of the IVP include families who have lost relatives in war, residents of southern Israel and soldiers who were wounded in service. The IVP demands that the incoming Israeli government defeat Hamas.
"The attacks in the past few days are another example that shows that the citizens of the south live under a constant threat while the Israeli government continues to act with a weak policy towards Hamas," said Gregg Roman, COO of the Middle East Forum.
"The Israeli government must stop being afraid and must reach a situation of definitive and absolute victory over Hamas so the residents of the south will stop paying the heavy price and will be able to live in peace," added Roman. "For this reason, we chose to place the chicken as part of the IVP campaign that we are leading these days, in order to demand from the Israeli government to stop being afraid and to take rigorous and unequivocal steps to end the terror that is harming the residents of the south and the rest of the Israeli public."
The giant barnyard fowl balloon was placed at the entrance to the Knesset last Wednesday, while the Central Elections Committee debated candidate disqualification requests inside.
Activists claimed the oversized bird is in “protest of the cowardice showed by Israeli governments throughout the years when facing Hamas and Palestinian resistance” and said that the chicken will make guest appearances across the country at central venues.
While English speakers often use chicken to mean cowardice, the Hebrew word does not carry this connotation.
Hagay Hacohen contributed to this report.