Channel 14 Host Riklin Tells Yair Golan He Belongs in Germany
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Channel 14 host Shimon Riklin attacked Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, suggesting Golan belongs in Germany due to his call for separating religion from public life in Israel. Golan's platform includes public transportation on Shabbat and civil marriage. Riklin's remarks come amid a separate legal threat from Shikma Bressler's partner over Riklin's alleged defamation. The dispute underscores deep divisions over Israel's religious and civil identity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Channel 14 host Shimon Riklin told Yair Golan he belongs in Germany for advocating secularism.
- Yair Golan called for removing religion from public spaces and enabling civil marriage and Shabbat transport.
- Riklin's comments were a response to Golan's platform for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections.
- Shikma Bressler's partner is suing Riklin and Channel 14 for 50,000 shekels over alleged defamation.
- The controversy highlights deep divisions over Israel's Jewish and civil identity.
Shimon Riklin, a prominent right-wing commentator and host on Channel 14, has sharply criticized Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party and former Deputy Chief of Staff. The controversy erupted after Golan released a video outlining his party's platform for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, scheduled for October 27. In the video, Golan called for a clear separation between religion and state, advocating for the removal of religion from public spaces, public transportation on Shabbat, and civil marriage in Israel.
Riklin responded vehemently to Golan's remarks about removing religion from public spaces, stating, "Yair Golan is a violent man. But by his statement that Jewish religion should be removed from public spaces, he shows that he has no place in Israel, only in Germany. They are also allergic to the Jewish religion there. He doesn't really belong here, nor do his supporters with their dual passports. Goodbye, goodbye, and don't visit us in our dreams."
This incident follows another recent controversy involving Riklin. The partner of protest leader Shikma Bressler sent a legal warning letter to Riklin and Channel 14. The letter was prompted by statements Riklin made on his program, where he implied a connection between Bressler's partner, a senior Shin Bet official, and a sensitive security meeting involving Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. Riklin questioned whether Bressler's husband might have attended a meeting with the head of Egyptian intelligence, given his alleged closeness to Bressler, who had previously stated, "You will not have an army in September."
Bressler's partner is demanding 50,000 shekels in compensation and a public apology from Riklin and Channel 14 for the damage to his reputation. The confrontation between Riklin and Golan highlights the deep divisions in Israel regarding the country's Jewish and civil identity, with Golan positioning his party as a champion of secularism and opponents viewing such calls as an attack on the nation's Jewish roots.
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