Israeli journalist threatened to be fired over Gaza tweet

Israeli radio and TV anchor Kobi Meidan has been threatened with dismissal from Israeli army radio after he commented on Israeli crimes against peaceful Palestinian protesters in Gaza that took place on Friday.

One day after the Israeli army killed 16 Palestinian peace protesters, Meidan tweeted: “Today, I am ashamed to be Israeli.”

Immediately he was verbally assaulted by the Israeli public along with senior Israeli officials, including Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who called for him to be sacked.

Read: Celtic fans raise 16 Palestinian flags in solidarity with Gaza victims

The Times of Israel said that Lieberman told Radio 103 FM: “I am ashamed that we have a presenter like that on an army radio station. If he is ashamed, he should draw the conclusions himself and quit the station.”

According to the Times of Israel, Meidan clarified his comment to the commander of Army Radio: “[I] did not write a word against the IDF soldiers who are dear to us all, and that was not the intention, and if that was what was understood, I apologise for it”.

Thanks to this statement, Meidan is to remain in his post.

On Friday, which coincided with Palestine Land Day, the Israeli army shot dead 16 Palestinians and wounded 1,416 others. It was day one of a 45-day protest, the Great March of Return, which will reach its peak on 15 May, the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba.