Drama on Channel 14: After Maddy Tabibi apologized, the journalist attacked Channel 12 News
Maddy Tabibi and journalist Noam Amir took responsibility for the serious mistake broadcast on Channel 14. At the same time, the reporter attacked other television channels, including Keshet 12, and mentioned the "Sde Teiman" affair: "Do you remember what it is to admit a mistake?"
Following the erroneous footage broadcast last night (Sunday) on the "Central Edition" program of Channel 14, presenter Maddy Tabibi and journalist Noam Amir apologized live on air. Viewers had been promised exclusive footage of the dismissed military advocate general, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. In the footage, it was claimed, the senior official "refrains from answering questions from a Channel 14 researcher regarding a plea deal."
At first glance at the circulated clip, it is clear that it is not the military advocate general, but another woman walking her dog. In response to the questions directed at her, she replied that she does not comment on the subject. At the same time, Channel 14 chose to place the story on the main page of the website and promise readers a "confrontation" with the dismissed military advocate general on the television program "Central Edition."
Against the backdrop of the storm that arose around the broadcast of the erroneous footage, this evening (Monday) the channel published an official apology. Maddy Tabibi, presenter of the "Central Edition" program, addressed the viewers:
"Last night we broadcast in the edition footage of the former military advocate general that turned out in retrospect to be a case of mistaken identity. Journalistic integrity requires taking full responsibility, and that is what we are of course doing. To all the moralizers around, Noam Amir is with you with the following message."
Noam Amir, the military commentator for Channel 14, addressed the unusual incident:
"Last night in the Central Edition we broadcast footage of a lady who lives next to the daughter of the former military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi on HaPrachim Street in Ramat HaSharon. The discourse between our researcher and her, we attributed to the dismissed military advocate general. A sequence of points connected and caused us to err and publish this footage which later turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. I and the Channel 14 news desk ask to apologize to our dear viewers, to that lady whom the researcher met on the street. We are human beings and we also make mistakes sometimes. When we make mistakes, we take responsibility and apologize. Already last night we published a first clarification."
Later in his remarks, the journalist attacked media outlets that criticized what happened on Channel 14, referring to publications first revealed on Channel 12:
"What is your excuse? Those same media outlets and group of journalists who jumped on this event and celebrated it in the last day. What is your excuse at Channel 12 that you libeled the IDF regarding an attack at a hospital in Gaza that did not happen? You libeled our heroic fighters at Sde Teiman with a blood libel. When you broadcast an edited video that caused enormous damage to an entire country and dirtied the names of our fighters in the world."
After showing a clip from a report by Guy Peleg about the "Sde Teiman" affair, Noam Amir said:
"Just to remind you that the content you attached to this edited video never reached an indictment in the case that the military advocate closed. Do you remember what it is to admit a mistake? Are you familiar with the concept 'we apologize'? Until now you have not opened your mouth. To all those nitpickers around, media outlets whose mistakes are still documented on the networks, have you looked in the mirror? Did any of you bother to demand that Channel 12 apologize for the blood libel against our heroic fighters? Do not let the background noise divert the story from the main point."
Finally, the Channel 14 reporter said:
"This system called the Military Advocate General's Corps is on the way to closing a plea deal with a former major general in the IDF who was in charge of the defense of our forces. She, who leaked a biased video to Channel 12, and lied to two Chiefs of Staff and two Ministers of Defense. She, who led to the submission of a false affidavit to the Supreme Court together with her close friend Gali Baharav-Miara, who is the Attorney General who to this day refuses to address this story. Do not let them divert attention from the truth. They are on the way to a plea deal whose entire purpose is to whitewash and bury this malicious case. We made a mistake and apologized. You, who knowingly slandered IDF fighters in the midst of a war, what is your excuse?"
