"I would strangle him with tefilin": Israeli TV panelist sparks outrage with violent comment | WATCH

A heated debate on Israel’s Channel 13 program War Zone Saturday night spiraled into controversy when panelist Miki Rosenthal made a shocking remark about strangling a scriptwriter with tefillin, the Jewish ritual prayer straps. The comment, aired during a discussion of a controversial advertisement by the “Smile of a Child” organization, which provides free tefillin to children, including those from bereaved families, drew immediate condemnation from fellow panelists and the show’s host.

The segment focused on the ad’s poorly received script, which host Baruch Kara criticized as “not well put together,” expressing a desire to confront its writer. Rosenthal escalated the critique, stating, “I would strangle him with tefillin,” while mimicking a choking gesture. He repeated the phrase twice more, despite pushback from Kara and others on the panel. “The script is idiotic, but your comment is ugly, stupid, and disgusting,” Kara said, urging a more humorous approach to the charity’s efforts.

Journalist Uri Misgav, another panelist, rebuked Rosenthal for adding “nonsense” to the discussion. Radio host Natan Zahavi, also on the panel, later took to Facebook, questioning whether Channel 13 would suspend Rosenthal for suggesting a rabbi “strangle himself with tefillin.” Zahavi himself faced suspension in 2022 for similar remarks about ultra-Orthodox Jews, coupled with a hefty fine.

Rosenthal’s statement, broadcast yesterday (Sunday) has reignited debates over inflammatory rhetoric in Israeli media, particularly targeting religious symbols. Channel 13 declined to comment.