Yisrael Beiteinu Demands Channel 14 Fire Panelist Over 'Incitement'

The Yisrael Beiteinu party issued a sharp statement Tuesday against lawyer Rachel Berger Shechter, a regular panelist on Channel 14, following a Facebook post she published criticizing party chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman. The party claims Berger Shechter's remarks constitute severe and racist incitement, and is demanding that Channel 14 condemn the post and cease her participation in broadcasts.

According to a statement from Yisrael Beiteinu's spokesperson, Berger Shechter posted several statements against Lieberman, calling him a "Soviet chaos agent" and "Ronen Bar 2." The most inflammatory remark, which drew the strongest reaction from the party, was "May God take him," which Yisrael Beiteinu interpreted as a death wish for its chairman.

The party stated that Berger Shechter added to her post, "I won't say this on air now, but here I wrote it and released it here." Yisrael Beiteinu accused Berger Shechter of severe incitement against its chairman, stating, "The racist epithet 'Soviet agent,' along with the wish for his death, joins a series of serious threats directed at him."

Yisrael Beiteinu warned of the potential consequences of such statements, adding, "We must not wait until someone decides to harm him following this incitement." The party has directly demanded that Channel 14's management stop Berger Shechter's appearances on the channel's broadcasts.

"We demand that Channel 14 unequivocally condemn these remarks and cease her participation in broadcasts, and call on law enforcement agencies to urgently investigate the publication," the party's statement read. Yisrael Beiteinu concluded by stating that the remarks would not deter or silence them, asserting, "The incitement and threats will not deter us and will not silence us."