The Ofira and Berkovich political television program will not be broadcast this coming Friday, following comments by anchor Eyal Berkowitz against the Arab MKs, according to the Keshet media group.
"The statements made in the plan deviated from the line of freedom of expression advocated by the company. Because of the gravity of the matter, it was decided to dedicate the next few days to examining the procedures and rules," Keshet announced.
The storm surrounding the plan erupted after Berkovich called Arab MKs "terrorists sitting in the Knesset", "haters of Israel", "spies" and "Trojans."
"The Arab MKs are afraid to come to us," said Ofira Asayag, who is in charge of the program, "Ahmad Tibi does not want a confrontation with you, Zahalka does not want a confrontation with you. Barakeh, who is not a Knesset member, refuses to come here. What's the story. Are they a bunch of cowards?
Berkowitz replied that they do not come because they are afraid that he will ask them difficult questions that they have no answers to. "They know that they are Trojans. they know that they are actually sitting in the Knesset, but they are spies, and they know that they are not ours, so they know what I'm going to tell them," he explained.
"Do not come, you do not need them here ... I cannot see them here ... We do not want you here in the studio ... If they land here, I get up and go ... They have no chance of being interviewing. I will not give them that honor. Do not bring them. I do not want to see them. This is not a section of racism, they are simply haters of Israel. They are simply terrorists sitting in the Knesset. I do not want to interview them, and I do not want to see them.
Berkowitz later apologized and said in response: "I did not mean to hurt - neither the Arab public nor all the Arab MKs, although I have deep disagreements with some of them, but I had no intention of hurting and tarnishing them all. I apologize".