Businessman Roni Mana Praises Anchor Lucy Aharish After Return to Air
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Businessman Roni Mana publicly supported Channel 13 anchor Lucy Aharish upon her return to broadcasting after a dispute with Eyal Berkovich. The conflict began during an election broadcast, escalating into a racist remark accusation by Aharish against Berkovich. After days of absence and internal discussions, Aharish returned, vowing to combat racism, while Berkovich later downplayed his comments.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Businessman Roni Mana praised anchor Lucy Aharish upon her return to Channel 13.
- Aharish was absent after a dispute with Eyal Berkovich over alleged racist remarks during an election broadcast.
- Aharish returned to air, stating she will not be silent against racism.
- Berkovich later addressed the incident, denying racist motives but admitting his statement might have been wrong.
Businessman and Channel 13 panelist Roni Mana publicly supported anchor Lucy Aharish following her return to the screen on Wednesday, after a several-day absence stemming from a dispute with Eyal Berkovich. Mana expressed satisfaction with how Channel 13's management handled the crisis, which had generated significant interest both inside and outside the network.
Mana took to social media, tweeting, "I know her as Lucy with the big heart, loves the country, a smart girl, the best anchor, and I am happy she returned to broadcasting. This is her natural place. Channel 13 did well to sort things out and move on. Lucy, everyone loves you, you are a queen."
The controversy began during Channel 13's election broadcast last week. The dispute reportedly escalated after commentator Moriah Asraf made remarks about forming a government based on "90 Zionist mandates." Aharish deemed the comments racist, leading to a confrontation with Berkovich, even during a commercial break. Eyewitnesses quoted in reports stated Berkovich told her, "Calm down, you're not in a village here." Aharish then left the studio visibly upset, prompting intervention from channel executives.
Following the incident, Aharish was absent from her program. While sources within the channel reportedly promised Berkovich would apologize, no apology was issued. Sources close to Aharish explained she felt unsupported, though she did not demand an apology as a condition for her return. On Tuesday, channel officials announced that clarifications had been made and issues resolved after talks between representatives of both sides. Channel 13 issued a statement condemning racism without naming Berkovich.
Aharish returned to host "Shichat Hayom" on Wednesday, addressing her recent experience on air. She affirmed her commitment to not remain silent against racism and to represent the stories of Arab citizens of Israel. Aharish also referenced her commitment made when lighting a torch on Independence Day in 2015, emphasizing her continued work for Israeli society. Later that evening, Berkovich addressed the incident on his program, "Moriah and Berkovich," suggesting his statement might have been incorrect but denying it was motivated by racism.
