Israeli TV Host Yinon Magal Responds Humorously to Physical Fight Poll Defeat with Military Anecdote

Yinon Magal, host of the Israeli TV program "The Patriots," responded with humor after losing a viewer poll that asked who would win in a physical fight between him and retired Colonel Yoni Shtavon. The poll, conducted during the show on Channel 14, showed a decisive 85% of viewers favoring Shtavon as the winner, leading to laughter in the studio and Magal jokingly pleading not to be "thrown out to old age" and even offering to give up his hosting seat to Shtavon.

In a social media post following the poll, Magal attributed his loss to "all the leftists and his Moroccan clan" voting for Shtavon, using his characteristic irony. To restore his tough image, he shared a message from a former military teammate from "Team Yoram," who defended Magal’s combat skills by recalling an incident where Magal subdued a terrorist with a rifle butt strike to the head during their service in an elite unit.

This anecdote was intended to prove that Magal remains a formidable fighter despite the poll results. The exchange highlights the playful rivalry between the two panelists and Magal’s effort to maintain his reputation as a strong and capable figure both on and off screen.