Media personality and former soccer star Eyal Berkovic has been suspended from broadcasting on Channel 13 News following remarks he made on his program, Moriah and Berko, which sparked sharp criticism and accusations of racism.
The decision was made following a meeting with Berkovic to address the comments he made during a live broadcast.
The controversy began during a conversation with Channel 13 News correspondent Suleiman Maswadeh, who appeared on the program to tell Berkovic and his co-host, Moriah Asraf, about Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic politician from Michigan known for his antisemitism controversies.
During the conversation, Maswadeh introduced El-Sayed as a doctor, but Berkovic interrupted him and questioned his academic credentials.
"They give everyone over there the title of doctor. Have you checked whether he's actually a doctor?" Berkovic asked.
Asraf clarified that El-Sayed does indeed hold the qualification, but Berkovic continued, bringing up the name of Knesset member Ahmad Tibi.
"They also say Ahmad Tibi is a doctor. Well, that's what they say. Let him produce his diploma," he said.
Maswadeh responded that Tibi is indeed a physician by training and pointed out to Berkovic that he had diverted the discussion to an unrelated subject.
Nevertheless, Berkovic continued sarcastically, saying, "Everyone's a doctor. Moriah is a doctor too."
The remarks sparked strong reactions, prompting Channel 13 News to take action against the presenter.
In an official statement, the company said:
"Freedom of expression and diversity of opinion are among the cornerstones of a free press, but they do not provide a license for racist remarks.
"The statements made yesterday on the program Moriah and Berko are unacceptable and inconsistent with the company's values."
The company further stated that, following the incident, a meeting was held with Berkovic to address his remarks, after which it was decided to suspend him from broadcasting with immediate effect.