MK Ahmad Tibi Threatens Defamation Lawsuit Against Reshet 13 Anchors
MK Ahmad Tibi demands a public apology and 150,000 shekels from Reshet 13 anchors Eyal Berkovic and Moria Berko over disparaging remarks regarding his academic degrees.
MK Ahmad Tibi has issued a formal defamation warning to Reshet 13 anchors Eyal Berkovic and Moria Berko, alongside the network, demanding a public apology and 150,000 shekels in damages following disparaging remarks made during their weekend broadcast.
Represented by attorney Gilad Barnea, Tibi gave the presenters and the channel a seven-day ultimatum before taking legal action. The legal notice requires a detailed apology to be broadcast during the upcoming episode of their show, matching the original reach and prominence, alongside the immediate removal of the segment from digital archives and social media platforms.
The controversy stems from a November 7 broadcast, during which Berkovic and Berko discussed American public figure Abdul El-Sayed with network correspondent Suleiman Maswadeh. Berkovic questioned El-Sayed's academic credentials before abruptly turning his skepticism toward MK Tibi, who was unrelated to the discussion.
"Everyone is given the title of doctor there, did you check if he is a doctor?" Berkovic asked, later adding, "They also say Ahmad Tibi is a doctor." Berko responded with laughter, prompting Berkovic to insist, "Ah, they say, let him bring the certificate." Although Maswadeh intervened to clarify that Tibi indeed holds a medical degree, the presenters continued to mock the credential.
Tibi's attorney argues that the remarks were humiliating, defamatory, and carried racist undertones designed to ridicule the lawmaker and damage his professional reputation. The incident sparked widespread public outrage, with Tibi initially slamming the broadcast as a "racist garbage bin."
In response to the backlash, Reshet 13 announced the immediate suspension of Berkovic following a disciplinary hearing. The network stated that while freedom of expression is foundational, it does not excuse racist statements. Meanwhile, Berko hosted the subsequent broadcast alone, defending her colleague while pushing back against calls for her own dismissal.
