Haaretz Veteran Slams Israeli Media for 'Taboo Breaking'
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Journalist Beni Tsipor, dismissed from Haaretz after 48 years, has published a strong critique of the Israeli media, accusing it of bias against right-wing views and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tsipor claims his support for Sara Netanyahu and his own right-wing leanings led to his marginalization and eventual dismissal. He describes the media as an organized institution with a rigid agenda, akin to a church, that attacks those who challenge its narrative, particularly those labeled "Bibiists."
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Journalist Beni Tsipor was dismissed from Haaretz after 48 years, citing his right-wing views.
- Tsipor claims the Israeli media is biased and actively works to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- He broke a "taboo" by defending Sara Netanyahu and challenging the negative portrayal of "Bibiists."
- Tsipor describes the media as an organized institution, like a "church," imposing its beliefs.
- He argues that dissenters are silenced or expelled from the media's "pure camp."
Journalist Beni Tsipor, who edited the culture and literature supplement of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz for nearly five decades, has published a scathing critique of the Israeli media landscape. Tsipor, who was dismissed from Haaretz two months ago after 48 years of employment, claims his support for Sara Netanyahu and identification with the right-wing made him an unwelcome figure in the media circles where he worked.
In an article published in the journal "HaUma," Tsipor describes his experience, stating he always felt like a "half-stranger" in Haaretz, a "man of letters among journalists, a right-winger among leftists." He asserts that the newspaper and its owners, along with the broader Israeli media, could not tolerate his independent views. Tsipor contends that those who present themselves as guardians of democracy are actually hostile to anyone who disrupts their efforts to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tsipor characterizes the media as having become a "church," an organized institution aiming to impose its beliefs, rather than a free press fighting social injustices. He criticizes its "willing enslavement" to financial powers and its use of "democracy's watchdog" to attack those who stand in their way. He specifically mentions breaking a "taboo" by defending Sara Netanyahu and challenging the negative portrayal of "Bibiists," a term for Netanyahu's supporters. Tsipor identifies himself as a "Bibiist" and a man of letters, a combination he believes contradicts the media's established image.
He recounts the media's aggressive reaction to his perceived interference, with critics questioning his involvement and dismissing his skeptical remarks as hindering their "righteous struggle" to depose Netanyahu. Tsipor concludes that the media, which he once saw as a champion of enlightenment and secularism, has transformed into a crusading force against perceived enemies, willing to silence or expel dissenters.