MK Merav Ben Ari slams Daphna Liel: "Stop recycling old stories"

Daphna Liel, a veteran political commentator and Knesset correspondent for Channel 12, is a familiar face to Israeli viewers. In the lead-up to the upcoming elections, her reporting has come under intense scrutiny.

On Sunday, Liel uploaded a video to her X page explaining why Naftali Bennett rushed to join forces with Yair Lapid: "Has it ever happened to you that you fabricated a job offer just to increase your demand? That is what happened between Bennett and Lapid. Listen to the story."

"Shortly before the alliance, Lapid sent a message to Bennett claiming he had an offer from Eisenkot that was about to be signed. Bennett trusted Lapid and rushed to sign to get ahead of them. But in reality, there was no offer, nor were there any negotiations," she claimed.

According to Liel, Lapid previously attempted to force a union between Meretz and Labor to siphon off their votes. "This time, he forced an unsuccessful union at an early stage. Will this decide the elections? We will know soon," she concluded.

Knesset member Merav Ben Ari responded with a sharp rebuke:

"Hi Daphna, forget that you already published this a month ago, received denials from both sides, and now brought the item up again. Kudos for the investigative journalism, truly Pulitzer-worthy. Is this what you are dealing with? Is this what matters now, when the most critical elections in the country's history are at the door? When the massacre government is running again? Is this what concerns you?"

Ben Ari continued:

"If it weren't for the struggle of our MKs in the Communications Committee for free media against Karhi's disgraceful law, I doubt you would have a job at all. You, the media, are one of the reasons why this terrible government is still in power, normalizing bad ministers, and none of you dares to tell them the truth to their face, except for a few brave individuals. Let it go, for heaven's sake."