Yinon Magal Slams Israel Hayom for 'Racist' Accusation
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Yinon Magal, host of "The Patriots," fiercely criticized Israel Hayom for labeling his remarks about Gadi Eisenkot as racist. Magal accused the newspaper of creating a "fake storm" to influence Mizrahi voters in upcoming elections. He claims the media is misinterpreting his use of the term "monkey" for Eisenkot, which he says refers to a pawn, not a racial slur. Magal believes this tactic aims to shift Mizrahi voters from the right to the left.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yinon Magal accused Israel Hayom of fabricating a "fake storm" to influence Mizrahi voters.
- Magal stated the media's attempt to label his comments as racist was a ploy to push Mizrahi voters leftward.
- The controversy centers on Magal calling Gadi Eisenkot a "monkey," which critics deemed racist.
- Magal explained "monkey" refers to a pawn, not a racial slur, citing past use against Naftali Bennett.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously condemned Magal's remark about Eisenkot.
Yinon Magal, host of the TV show "The Patriots," launched a sharp attack on the newspaper Israel Hayom, accusing it of fabricating a "fake storm" around his controversial remarks about Gadi Eisenkot. The dispute ignited after Israel Hayom sent a push notification to its readers, labeling Magal's comments as "racist statements that have become political storms." Magal shared a screenshot of the notification, claiming the media was attempting to portray his words as racist against Mizrahim (Jews of Middle Eastern descent) to influence their voting patterns in upcoming elections.
Magal asserted that the media's efforts to link his comments to racism were a ploy to push Mizrahi voters towards the left. He stated, "Who is the idiot here is you. Nobody is buying your bullshit. Get out of the movie." He further argued that the media's assumption that Mizrahim would be offended by his remarks revealed their own underlying attitudes towards the community.
The controversy stems from Magal's earlier use of the term "monkey" to describe Eisenkot during a discussion on "The Patriots." Critics interpreted this as a racist slur, particularly given Eisenkot's Mizrahi heritage. Magal, however, clarified that he intended the term to mean a pawn or a front for others, citing its use in criminal slang. He pointed out that he had previously used the same term to describe former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is not of Mizrahi descent, in April 2021, explaining it as someone used as a tool to achieve others' goals.
Despite Magal's explanations, the remark drew widespread criticism, including condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Magal's current accusations against Israel Hayom suggest he believes the media is exploiting the incident to manipulate the upcoming elections by swaying Mizrahi voters away from the right-wing bloc.
