Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 has suspended news anchor Eyal Berkowitz from its airwaves, according to a report published Sunday on Ynet. The network made the decision after Berkowitz questioned the validity of MK Ahmad Tibi's doctoral degree during a recent broadcast.
The suspension follows a week of mounting tension at the station. Last week, a confrontation erupted on air between Berkowitz and fellow anchor Lucy Aharish, an Arab-Israeli journalist. The clash began after Berkowitz's co-host Moriah Asraf called for the formation of a "Zionist government." Aharish responded by calling the pair "racists."
Berkowitz fired back at Aharish during the live broadcast, telling her: "Calm down, you're not in the village here." The remark spread rapidly across social media, triggering widespread public outcry and creating significant friction within the network's corridors. That tension has now led management to freeze a scheduled interview Berkowitz was set to conduct on Omri Assenheim's program.
