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Ongoing Story· Today

Likud Member Demands Apology From Channel 14 Host Over Eisenkot Remarks

11 developments

Now 14Politics

Yotam Zimri Criticizes Yinon Magal Over 'Monkey' Remark

Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba

RightCharged tone

Hebrew · 9 newsrooms covering

Media personality Yotam Zimri criticized his colleague Yinon Magal for calling Minister Gadi Eisenkot a 'monkey.' Zimri expressed disappointment, calling the resulting controversy "medium-sized." Magal defended his remark, stating it meant a pawn, not a racial slur, and accused critics of fabricating a scandal. The Prime Minister had previously condemned Magal's statement.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

  • Yotam Zimri expressed disappointment with colleague Yinon Magal over a controversial remark.
  • Magal called Minister Gadi Eisenkot a 'monkey,' a term from the criminal underworld.
  • Zimri criticized the Prime Minister for automatically condemning Magal's statement.
  • Magal denied racism, calling the controversy 'fake' and intended to mislead voters.
  • The remark sparked sharp criticism from left-wing groups and media outlets.
Yotam Zimri Criticizes Yinon Magal Over 'Monkey' Remark
Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Media personality Yotam Zimri has expressed disappointment with his colleague Yinon Magal following a controversy over Magal's use of the term 'monkey' to describe Minister Gadi Eisenkot. Zimri stated he was "very disappointed" with Magal, calling the ensuing controversy "medium-sized" and "light material."

The controversy began when Magal, during the "Patriots" program, referred to Eisenkot as a 'monkey,' a term from the criminal world meaning a straw man or a pawn used by criminals. This remark quickly drew sharp criticism from the left-wing and media outlets.

Zimri also took a jab at the Prime Minister, who had condemned Magal's statement. Zimri suggested that a leader who released a clip titled 'New Storm' should be able to identify "fake news" and not condemn automatically.

Magal, in response, dismissed the accusations of racism, calling the media storm "fake" and embarrassing. He clarified that his use of 'monkey' was intended to describe someone used as a tool by others, not to refer to Eisenkot's ethnicity. Magal accused the left-wing media of attempting to portray his words as racist to sway Mizrahi voters, urging critics to stop their "bullshit."

Now 14Right · Jerusalem

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