MK Yinon Magal
MK Yinon MagalHadas Parush/Flash90

Mainstream media specifically discriminated against right-wing journalists during the Disengagement in 2005, journalist and MK Yinon Magal (Jewish Home) stated Monday, accusing the then-Editor in Chief of Channel 10 News Avi Barzilai of trying to remove him from the channel at the time due to his political views. 

"I was the only journalist broadcasting from the rooftops," Magal said, speaking about live coverage of the Disengagement as soldiers pulled Jews from their homes, in an interview with Army Radio. "At some point they called me up and said, 'you can't continue broadcasting, there's an IDF censure on broadcasting from the rooftops." 

"Afterwards, when I checked with [now Likud MK and Culture Minister] Miri Regev, who was with the IDF Spokesperson's Office, she said there was no such censure ever given," he continued. "This was political discrimination from the inside." 

Magal noted he later found out that Barzilai, not the IDF, had given the censure order. 

Barzilai dodged questions about the accusation Sunday. 

"Contrary to Magal, who left journalism to join a right-wing party, I - Avi Barzilai - have been a professional journalist for 41 years," he said. "I do not need to provide references from MK Magal about my integrity or professionalism."