The Democrats party, led by Yair Golan, has barred Channel 14 from covering its primary elections, according to the channel's broadcast. Political commentator Moti Kastel said the party's candidates are 'extreme, radical, and antisemitic.'
The Democrats party, led by Yair Golan, has barred Channel 14 from covering its primary elections, the channel reported earlier Monday. Hours after the channel filed an urgent petition with the Tel Aviv District Court at 17:15 Jerusalem, citing a 2022 Supreme Court ruling on media equality, Channel 14 broadcast political commentator Moti Kastel denouncing the party's candidates as 'extreme, radical, and antisemitic.' Kastel described the candidates as holding 'dark views and stifling dissent,' and called the party's self-description as 'democrats' remarkable given the alleged intolerance.
The Zioneer first reported the petition at 17:15 Jerusalem, noting that Channel 14 alleged discriminatory exclusion from the primary results announcement. A subsequent update at the same time detailed that the petition relied on a 2022 Supreme Court ruling establishing that political parties must respect equality principles in media access. The channel's broadcast now adds a characterization of the party's candidate slate.
The development follows earlier criticism of the Democrats party today. At 12:02 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published an analysis calling the party 'the most extreme and dangerous political entity in memory.' At 14:19, Channel 14's political desk head Mati Tuchfeld warned that the party is a 'bunch of crazies, hallucinations, and extremists.' At 15:29, Minister May Golan called the party 'dangerous, inciting, and divisive.'
The Tel Aviv District Court has not yet ruled on Channel 14's petition. The Democrats party has not publicly responded to Kastel's characterization of its candidates. It remains unclear whether the court will issue an order before the primary results are announced tonight.
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