Israeli Broadcasters Clash Over Nova Party Buddha Statue Remarks

A heated debate continues in Israel over comments made on Channel 14's "The Patriots" program regarding the Nova music festival massacre. During a discussion hosted by Gideon Oko on Channel 12's "Shiva," a clip was shown where commentators Avi Shoshan and Yinon Magal criticized attendees of the Nova party for dancing near a Buddha statue. Shoshan stated that dancing near a Buddha statue on Simchat Torah, when many attendees were murdered, resembled "idolatry."

Magal expressed his discomfort with Jews dancing near a Buddha statue, suggesting it was a "correction" to dancing with the Torah during Simchat Torah, referring to the Hakafot (Torah procession) held at the Nova site. News anchor Yaron Avraham, responding to the clip, called the remarks "outrageous" and admitted he was restraining himself from cursing on air due to their "low level."

Channel 12 reporter Michal Activist also weighed in, calling the rhetoric "levels of poison and hatred that are incomprehensible" and criticizing the framing of Judaism as a "religion of defiance." This is not the first time Magal has drawn criticism for comments on the Buddha statue; in January 2024, he made similar remarks, later clarifying that he did not blame any partygoer and respected the memory of the victims.