Sharp Exchange Between Sharon Gal and Eyal Meged Erupts Into Heated Insults on i24News

A planned interview on i24News between host Sharon Gal and author Eyal Meged quickly escalated into a bitter confrontation filled with personal insults. The discussion, initially intended to explore the left's attitude toward intellectuals associated with Benjamin Netanyahu, devolved into a fierce verbal clash. Meged, once a close friend of Netanyahu, harshly criticized both the prime minister and the interviewer, ending the segment by calling Gal a "pathetic sycophant," "wretched soul," and "zero."

The interview began with Meged recounting how the left never forgave him for his past closeness to Netanyahu, even after he became a vocal critic. He described how some on the left view friendship with Netanyahu as worse than friendship with Hitler, citing a 1990s comment from a friend questioning why Meged invited Netanyahu to an event. When Gal pressed Meged to elaborate on his hatred for Netanyahu, Meged accused the prime minister of becoming tyrannical and conflating himself with the state, warning that if Netanyahu falls, the country would lose its foundation.

Gal defended Netanyahu as a transformative figure in the Middle East and accused Meged of pandering to the left to regain acceptance. The exchange grew increasingly hostile, with frequent interruptions and sharp accusations. Meged claimed Netanyahu seeks to destroy Israel and would not accept electoral defeat, while Gal cited Netanyahu’s past concessions after losses and accused Meged of being a "100% leftist." Meged then directly insulted Gal, calling him an idiot for supporting Netanyahu.

The interview lost all semblance of civility as Meged attacked i24News as a "dirty, contaminated channel" and questioned Gal’s professionalism. When Gal asked why Meged watched the entire podcast if it was so bad, Meged concluded by repeating his insults, calling Gal a "pathetic sycophant" and "zero." Gal ended the segment by sarcastically thanking Meged and referring to him as "an Israeli author."