Berkovich Addresses Racism Claims After Clash With Aharish
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Channel 13 host Eyal Berkovich responded to accusations of racism following a dispute with co-host Lucy Aharish. Berkovich presented past clips to distinguish his criticism of Arab politicians from respect for Arab citizens, admitting he might have "said a sentence that was not right" but denying racism. Political correspondent Michael Shemesh urged him to take responsibility for potentially racist remarks. The incident highlights ongoing tension between the channel's leading presenters.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Eyal Berkovich addressed racism accusations on Channel 13 after a clash with co-host Lucy Aharish.
- Berkovich distinguished criticism of Arab politicians from respect for Arab citizens, admitting possible misphrasing.
- He compared the accusations to past controversies regarding Haredi and LGBTQ+ comments.
- Political correspondent Michael Shemesh urged Berkovich to take responsibility for potentially racist statements.
- Co-host Moriyah Asraf defended her support for a "Zionist government" as not racist.
- The incident reflects ongoing tension between prominent Channel 13 hosts.
Following a heated confrontation with fellow host Lucy Aharish, Eyal Berkovich addressed accusations of racism on their show "The Day's Conversation" at Channel 13. Aharish had previously delivered a strong monologue against racism after the incident, which occurred in the channel's corridors. Berkovich, alongside co-host Moriyah Asraf, attempted to refute the claims, presenting past video clips of himself clarifying his stance.
In one clip, Berkovich stated, "Arab citizens of Israel number about 2 million. I personally respect them very much. But I am not willing to sit with such terrorists... like Ahmad Tibi and the rest. I greatly respect the Arab citizens, I think they are very important here and they contribute here. But I have a problem with the leaders and with the politicians who head the Arab parties." He emphasized the distinction between criticizing Arab politicians he views as anti-Israel and respecting Arab citizens who contribute to the country.
Berkovich acknowledged that he might have "said a sentence that was not right" but argued that it was a stretch to label such a statement as racism. He drew parallels to past controversies, such as his remarks about Haredi men needing to serve in the army or work, which led to accusations of anti-Haredi sentiment, and comments about a transgender guest, which resulted in claims of homophobia.
Political correspondent Michael Shemesh interjected, urging caution and responsibility for statements that could be perceived as racist or hateful. He argued that if a statement has a "racist whiff" or "smells of hatred for Haredim," the speaker should take responsibility and retract it. Berkovich countered that his words were not said lightly, while Asraf attempted to de-escalate, suggesting that while Berkovich's phrasing might have been off, it stemmed from a particular viewpoint.
Asraf also clarified her own position, stating her belief in establishing a "Zionist government" and asserting that calling for Zionism is not racism. Berkovich concluded by reiterating that not every statement or stance should be labeled as racism, indicating that the tension between the prominent talents at Channel 13 persists despite attempts to move forward.
