Yair Lapid
Yair LapidYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Yesh Atid chairperson MK Yair Lapid issued strong condemnation against the radical leftist paper Haaretz for running an article by its journalist Gideon Levy, which libels IDF soldiers as indiscriminately murdering Palestinian children.

Last week Lapid likewise condemned Haaretz for Levy's article accusing the IDF of murder, saying the "monstrous" paper was "legitimizing terrorism." But the MK took aim at the paper again after it spread the article abroad.

The Yesh Atid head aired more criticism in a Channel 2 interview, in which he accused Haaretz of essentially giving permission to murder IDF soldiers because indiscriminate murderers - which the paper slandered the soldiers as being - can be shot.

Lapid emphasized that from his personal acquaintance with his own son who serves as a combat soldier, his son's comrades, and the open-fire orders that the IDF strictly enforces, it is clear there is no basis for Gideon Levy's spurious claims of wanton murder.

He pointed out that not only Levy was to blame, but rather all of Haaretz was culpable as it was responsible for running the piece.

"Haaretz made sure to spread these words also around the world, in English," said Lapid, pointing to how the article was translated to English and published abroad as well.

The MK said the article indicates the paper's editorial line, and argued the paper is unworthy of its rights to be a news source if it does not maintain its obligations and responsibilities.

Lapid noted that for over 30 years he was himself a journalist, and therefore he is very familiar with the journalistic obligations of a paper.