Channel 14 host Tal Meir publicly attacked Channel 12 reporter Michal Pailan during a morning broadcast on Sunday, after Pailan said over the weekend that “the government is pissing on its fighters and citizens.” Meir said the language was crude, unprofessional, and aimed at generating attention for a specific audience rather than reporting facts.
Meir accused Pailan of constructing a biased narrative against the government, saying, “She built a new narrative here toward the government, as if it does not care about its fighters.” She also said Pailan was trying to provoke reactions even if it came “at the expense of facts or a proper level of discourse.”
Addressing Pailan directly, Meir said, “Michal, we are not buying your performance, despite the applause you get in your camp.” She added, “The truth is that you are mainly embarrassing yourself.”
The criticism came after Channel 12 published a post claiming ministers and Knesset members missed the funeral of IDF Lt. Col. Dor Ben Shimhon because they were at a wedding. The article says that claim was false, because the wedding took place before the incident and the funeral notice was sent only the next day. It also says family members asked officials not to attend, and those who had wanted to come respected that wish. The post was later removed from Channel 12’s social accounts without a visible correction or public apology, while Pailan’s version reportedly still remained online.
