Ayelet Hasson Cries on Radio, Vows to Fight Public Broadcaster Ultimatum

Israeli TV presenter Ayelet Hasson broke down on air on Galei Israel radio, vowing to fight back against the public broadcaster Kan, where she has reportedly been given an ultimatum. Hasson, who was speaking on Eli Tsipori's program, fiercely criticized Kan, even hinting that its news director is a "Bolshevik." She described experiencing "wild incitement" and stated, "They are jealous that I don't bow down, that I don't break. This is the struggle, and this voice will not be silenced, and my voice will not be silenced. No Bolshevik will silence me, and no politicization will silence me, and no fake whitewashing will silence me."

Hasson became emotional, crying on air as she recounted three years of "war" at her workplace. She explained her dedication, stating she "ran to work like crazy" every morning, fighting for soldiers, hostages, bereaved families, and the wounded. She felt these individuals saw her as a confidante, reaching out to her for support beyond her professional duties. Hasson expressed her pain, asking, "Why?" She declared, "The last word has not been said."

The controversy surrounding Hasson began after remarks she made during a radio interview about Bedouin women in the Negev. She questioned the "change bloc" of the election results, describing Bedouin women with veils, whose husbands have multiple wives, as often "battered women." She elaborated on the practice of polygamy, noting that when a wife turns 25, the husband often takes another, divorcing the older wife but continuing to receive national insurance benefits for the children. Hasson identified these women as "Palestinian, from Rahat and from Hebron and from Gaza, also the sister of Ismail Haniyeh," and asked if they represented the "change bloc."

Hasson apologized for her remarks on social media platform X. However, Kan was not appeased and demanded a televised apology, with the wording to be pre-approved by the broadcaster. In response to inquiries from Ynet about Hasson's recent absence, Kan's news department stated she was "asked by her managers to apologize and clarify explicitly on air on Kan 11 her words, both regarding her generalizing statement towards women of Bedouin society, and regarding the failures 'at all polling stations in the Arab sector.' These are not only generalizing, unfounded, and inaccurate statements, but also ones that endanger the public's trust in the election results in Israel, and public broadcasting cannot be a part of that."

The news department further clarified that "the management of the news division demanded Hasson publish a clarification and apology this evening in a wording acceptable to the news division, and if she refuses, she will not be able to broadcast." It later emerged that Hasson would not continue with Kan, as the broadcaster decided not to meet the apology ultimatum it had set for her.