Yinon Magal and Ben Caspit dedicated the opening of their show on 103FM radio this morning (Wednesday) to the vandalism of the entrance to the News 12 offices in Tel Aviv, where a block was once again thrown at the entrance door, alongside the threatening letter that was left there.
During the discussion, a heated confrontation developed between the two over responsibility for the public atmosphere and the attitude towards violence against media personnel.
Caspit claimed that Magal should apologize for his remarks against the channel. Magal wondered where Caspit and his friends were when right-wing media figures were attacked in the past.
Caspit said: "For the third time, a large block was thrown at the entrance to 'News 12' in Tel Aviv. This time he also attached a note whose bottom line is that in the end someone will die. You, as the one leading the attack against 'News 12' in general and Guy Peleg in particular, maybe it's time for you to apologize. I think you're playing with fire, and I'm not telling you this to argue with you. The statistics prove in the end where the violence comes from.".
""The moment they throw a heavy block for the third time and smash a door and say someone will die in the end, I just think we need to pay attention to it. Life has taught me that when a far-right extremist threatens, we need to listen because people have already died.".
Magal responded to the accusations: "Where were you when they wrote us 'traitors' for joining Channel 14? Where were you when they blew up our broadcasts on 'Patriots,' when they beat up Avishy Ben Haim, or when they hung stickers on my car and private home and did graffiti for Yaakov Bardugo? Where were your condemnations when they attacked Shimon Riklin in Habima Square? Or is it selective when you throw a stone at Channel 12? I don't play this game. A week ago, Yair Golan decided not to include Channel 14 reporters in the coverage of the primaries, and there was no condemnation for that.".
Caspit responded: "My job is to level the harshest criticism, provided I stand on a factual basis, at the Israeli prime minister. He is an elected official. That is the job of a journalist: to attack the government - the disinfectant of democracy. To do this to journalists whose job it is? That is another matter.".
Magal replied: "Journalists are much more powerful than politicians, and my job is to criticize the press just as you think your job is to criticize the government.".
""The Channel 12 people are a very powerful force and they think they will attack everyone, despise and humiliate everyone, and fabricate a blood libel on fighters - and everyone will keep quiet? Let them accept criticism like men and not whine.".
""There is media corruption, it is corrupt media. All these years you have destroyed a country and turned it into a drain. And if you think you will be protected from criticism because some lunatic throws a stone - let them catch him and put him in jail - but I will continue: on your nose, on your anger and on your mother-in-law's.".
