Comedian Slams Haaretz for 'Hypocrisy' Over Religious Broadcasts

Israeli actor and comedian Oral Tsabari launched a sharp social media attack on the newspaper Haaretz on Tuesday, criticizing its perceived hypocrisy regarding religious and cultural expression.

Tsabari's criticism was sparked by a television review by Rogel Alpher, who panned the live broadcast of Selichot prayers from the Western Wall by all five major Israeli television channels. Alpher argued that the widespread coverage signaled a move towards a "Halachic state" (a state governed by Jewish law).

In response, Tsabari shared a screenshot of Alpher's article and declared, "A Jewish state. Period. The only one in the world, by the way! Did you know?" He accused Haaretz of double standards, contrasting their positive coverage of secular holidays like Halloween with their criticism of Jewish religious observance. "I'm sick of this hypocrisy and this self-hatred," Tsabari wrote, urging the newspaper to "get a grip."

Tsabari recalled a time when Jewish identity was openly and proudly expressed in Israeli public and media spaces, citing a performance by Nitzan Gafni on the children's show "Parpar Nechmad" in the 1980s, where she sang a song mentioning God's name on educational television without controversy.

He concluded by expressing support for the broadcasts of religious traditions, stating, "Enough running from our Jewish identity. How wonderful that all the channels broadcast the Selichot service, how unifying, how joyful! Finally, something unifying."