Former prime minister Ehud Barak was a guest on a Channel 12 news show over the weekend, and he engaged in his usual hate talk about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, saying, among other things, that the prime minister “is weak.”

However, this time, Barak, who served the shortest term as prime minister in Israeli history apart from Naftali Bennett, was challenged by a member of the panel, political commentator Danielle Roth-Avneri, who countered that “‘this weak man’ has been prime minister for many years, which you have tried to continue to be.”

Barak responded by saying: “I ask to silence this panel member, this show has an editor.”

But Roth-Avneri refused to be silenced and slammed Barak for his call for a civil rebellion: “It’s unbelievable that you call on live TV for a civil rebellion – and the fact that you’re ignoring me, you’re ignoring a huge public sector that hears your words and is simply shocked that you’re calling to break the law on a live broadcast.”

She continued: “If I would be able to finish talking, you would hear what I’m saying. You tried to shut me up, which is what you’re trying to do to the entire public.”

A storm arose on social media in the wake of Barak’s demand to silence Roth-Avneri. One journalist wrote sardonically to Roth-Avneri: “Really, how did you open your mouth prior to ‘his honor’s’ approval? Freedom of expression in Israel is turning over in its grave.”

Of course, leftists rushed to defend Barak, with one social media user commenting: “The truth is that we all want to silence her! Go to Channel 14, the mouthpiece of fascism and spare us from the poison and lies.”

Roth-Avneri shared the video of the show on Twitter, commenting: “Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak says ‘I want to silence her’ – in the same interview he talks about democracy and dictatorship.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)