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TV Host Yinon Magal Apologizes for Remarks About Hostage Families
Radio host and Channel 14 presenter Yinon Magal apologized on air Wednesday for comments he made during a Tuesday broadcast on 103FM, where he called contributors to a protest book "abhorrent" and "despicable." The book, titled "Mr. Abandonment," was written in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the October 7 failures.
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What happened
- 01Radio host Yinon Magal apologized on Wednesday for calling contributors to a protest book "abhorrent" and "despicable" during a Tuesday broadcast on 103FM.
- 02The book, titled "Mr. Abandonment," criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the failures surrounding the October 7 attacks.
- 03During his Tuesday show, Magal read names of relatives of hostages and bereaved families, including Ofri Bibas, Merav Svirsky, and Yonatan Shemeriz.
- 04Magal suggested the Bibas family should apologize to Netanyahu, claiming they had no right to fabricate false accusations of abandonment.
- 05Merav Svirsky, whose parents and brother were killed, condemned Magal's remarks as "horrific incitement" and accused him of acting as a proxy for Netanyahu.
- 06Ofri Bibas accused Magal of delivering messages for the Prime Minister to shift the discourse away from the government's lack of achievements.
- 07Magal admitted on air that it was a mistake not to clarify from the start that his criticism was not intended for hostage or bereaved families.
During his Tuesday show, Magal read out names of individuals associated with the book, including relatives of hostages held by Hamas and bereaved families. Among those named were Ofri Bibas, sister of hostage Yarden Bibas, as well as Yonatan Shemeriz, Rauma Kedem, Merav Svirsky, and Eyal Eshel. Magal, a vocal supporter of Netanyahu, had also suggested that the Bibas family should apologize to the Prime Minister for fabricating false accusations of abandonment.
The remarks sparked widespread public outcry and fierce condemnation from bereaved families. Merav Svirsky, whose parents were killed on October 7 and whose brother was abducted and murdered in Gaza, accused Magal of "horrific incitement" and acting as a proxy to deflect blame from Netanyahu. Ofri Bibas also accused Magal of delivering messages for the Prime Minister, asserting that "abandonment" accurately describes the government's handling of the October 7 attacks and the hostage situation.
In his apology on Wednesday, Magal stated he had no intention of hurting the families and admitted it was a mistake not to clarify immediately that his criticism was not directed at the families of hostages or bereaved families.
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