Lapid Slams Channel 14, Calls Owners Criminal Oligarch and Draft Dodger
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Channel 14, calling its owners a "criminal oligarch and his draft-dodging son" and a "propaganda channel." He expressed concern over the channel's public presence and its influence on Israeli society. Lapid's remarks follow his absence from state ceremonies marking three years since the October 7th massacre, which his office attributed to the government's refusal to accept responsibility.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Channel 14, calling its owners a criminal oligarch and his draft-dodging son.
- Lapid expressed concern over Channel 14's public legitimacy and influence on Israeli society.
- He referred to the channel as a propaganda outlet for the Prime Minister.
- Lapid's comments targeted owners Yitzhak and Michael Mirilashvili.
- Lapid recently missed state ceremonies, citing government refusal to take responsibility.
- His office stated he would attend a separate families' ceremony.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has opened a new front against Channel 14, criticizing its public legitimacy and influence. Speaking on 103FM radio, Lapid expressed concern over seeing the channel still playing in public spaces, stating, "What worries me in the media is that I arrive at places and still see Channel 14 on."
Lapid then launched a personal attack on the channel's owners, referring to them as a "criminal oligarch and his draft-dodging son" who purchased a "propaganda channel for the Prime Minister." He questioned the normalization of this situation, asking, "and we all treat this as if it's a sane situation."
Lapid was referring to Channel 14 owners, billionaire Yitzhak Mirilashvili and his father, businessman Michael Mirilashvili, who previously served a prison sentence in Russia before immigrating to Israel. Lapid concluded his remarks with a warning about the perceived destructive influence of Channel 14's content on Israeli public discourse, asking, "What is poisoning Israeli society? What is open on its screen."
This criticism comes after Lapid's absence from state ceremonies commemorating three years since the October 7th massacre at Mount Herzl. While other opposition members like Benny Gantz and Pnina Tamano-Shata attended, Lapid did not. His office stated his absence was due to the government's refusal to take responsibility and form a state inquiry commission, adding he would attend a families' ceremony instead.
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