Israeli Journalist Uri Levi Explains Why He Hid His Identity from Egyptian Star Mohamed Salah

Uri Levi, an Israeli sports journalist and expert on Arab football, addressed the controversy surrounding his interview with Egyptian national team star Mohamed Salah during the World Cup. The interview took place shortly after Egypt's qualification to the round of 16, and Levi faced significant criticism for not revealing his Israeli identity to Salah. Speaking on 103fm's sports program on Sunday, Levi explained the challenging environment of the mixed zone where players have limited time to speak with dozens of international media outlets. He said he was focused on securing the interview and did not plan or consider disclosing his nationality at the moment, noting that many players might react negatively if told about an Israeli journalist's presence.

Levi acknowledged receiving both warm messages and harsh criticism but emphasized his professionalism and long experience covering Salah. He described the interview as a career highlight and expressed understanding of the diverse opinions shared on social media. The discussion expanded on the broader issue of Israeli journalists interviewing figures who may hold anti-Israel views. Panelists Moshe Primo and Michael Sandberg criticized what they called Israeli hypocrisy, arguing that refusing to interview critics would mean no interviews at all, citing past interviews with controversial figures like Yasser Arafat and Sinwar. Yaniv Tuchman questioned how Levi would have handled the interview if Salah had expressed anti-Israel sentiments, to which Levi responded that he would have addressed such topics as part of his journalistic duty.

The debate highlights the complexities Israeli journalists face when covering international sports events involving politically sensitive figures and the balance between professional reporting and national identity disclosure.