Yinon Magal sparks controversy with remark about Gadi Eisenkot

Israeli Channel 14 television host Yinon Magal has sparked a political controversy after referring to Yashar party leader and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as a ‘monkey’ during a broadcast.

Eisenkot’s party condemned the remark, accusing Magal—a supporter of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu—of using offensive language targeting Eisenkot’s Moroccan heritage. The party drew parallels to historical ethnic tensions in Israeli politics regarding Mizrahi voters.

Magal defended his comments in a video, claiming his words were taken out of context. He argued he was using underworld terminology to suggest Eisenkot is being controlled by the Ashkenazi establishment rather than making an animal-based or ethnic comparison.