Israeli Journalists Avishai Greenstein and Baruch Kara Clash Over Legal Report on Jonathan Urich Case

A heated and unusual public dispute erupted between Israeli journalists Avishai Greenstein of i24NEWS and Baruch Kara of Channel 13 News following Greenstein's report on a plea deal in the "Bild" affair involving Jonathan Urich. Greenstein reported that Central District Attorney Haim Vismonsky and Urich's defense attorney agreed on a plea bargain for nine months of community service, but State Attorney Amit Eisman opposed it and demanded actual prison time. Kara criticized Greenstein's report as inaccurate, particularly disputing the claim about the Attorney General's position, calling it "fake news" and accusing Greenstein's source of providing false information.

The professional disagreement quickly escalated into personal insults. Kara called Greenstein a "demicolo bully" and a "small man," while Greenstein retorted by calling Kara a "chatterbox" and accused him of confusing the public. Greenstein also claimed that he had been offered Kara's job three times but declined. At one point, Greenstein challenged Kara to send him to a polygraph test, to be filmed and broadcast on Kara's Channel 13 program, an offer Kara refused.

Greenstein defended his original report on social media, emphasizing the disparity between the severity of the charges against Urich and the leniency of the proposed punishments. He noted that the maximum penalties for the offenses could include multiple life sentences and decades in prison, yet the plea deal suggested only community service or a year in prison. Kara maintained that the part of the report regarding the Attorney General's stance was false and accused Greenstein of recycling old information and misrepresenting facts.

The dispute also involved mutual accusations about journalistic integrity and professionalism. Greenstein questioned Kara's investigative depth and reliance on sources, while Kara denied Greenstein's claim that he was offered Kara's position at Channel 13 or Walla News. The confrontation ended with Kara dismissing Greenstein's threats and insults, calling him "ridiculous" and reiterating his view of Greenstein as a "small man" and "bully."