Miki Levin against Moriah Asraf: "She should apologize, a distorted reality"

A stormy confrontation in the Reshet 13 studio regarding the words of the Democrats party chairman Yair Golan about the Eli pre-military academy continues to stir reactions outside the screen. Maariv correspondent Miki Levin published a sharp column against political correspondent Moriah Asraf, in which she accused her of presenting a partial picture of Golan's words and called on her to apologize to the viewers.

According to Levin, during the discussion, only parts of Golan's words were shown to the viewers, while the core of his arguments was not brought in full. According to her:

"When a journalist chooses to present to the viewers only part of the picture, omitting the heart of the argument over which the debate is taking place, distorting and twisting the message, they are no longer just interpreting reality, they are shaping it."

Levin claims that Golan clarified in the original interview that his criticism is not directed at the academy's students or graduates, but at content that he claims is conveyed by some of the educators. She notes that, according to him, it concerns extreme statements against women, LGBT, and democratic values, and claims that this part was omitted in the aired segment.

This video is composed of 3 parts:

1. Moriah Asraf's opening.

2. The quotes of the teachers and educators of the Eli academy, as voiced by Yair Golan, which Asraf chose to omit from her opening.

3. The response of MK Efrat Rayten to Asraf's words.

In the column, Levin praises MK Efrat Rayten, who, according to her, returned the discussion to the facts. She quotes Rayten, who said during the confrontation: "This is the most serious incitement I have heard against Yair Golan and the Democrats," as well as her words to Asraf: "I am sitting here to conduct a dialogue and not to hear sermons from you, let's stick to the facts."

According to Levin, even those who disagree with Golan's positions are obligated to present his words in full context to allow the public to form an opinion. She adds that the role of journalism is "to give the public the full context, and then allow it to form an opinion," and not to settle for partial segments.

At the end of the column, Levin also criticizes the way the discussion was managed in the studio and claims that Rayten was not given the opportunity to complete her words. She even mentions Eyal Berkovic's remark that the program "has become Channel 14," and concludes with a call for Moriah Asraf to apologize to the viewers: "I truly hope that Ms. Asraf will turn to her viewing public and apologize for her not-so-innocent attempt to sell them a distorted reality."