Amichai Atali removed from 'The Patriots' according to Yinon Magal; Atali claims he learned of it on air

In depth

Amichai Atali, one of the regular panelists of "The Patriots" on Channel 14, was not scheduled for the broadcast this week after being absent from the panel for more than a week. The blowup occurred during a heated on-air confrontation with Yotam Zamri over the conscription law, during which Atali mocked Zamri's military service and described him as a firefighter in the Air Force.

Yinon Magal broke his silence and said on air that Atali was removed from the program and did not leave voluntarily. According to him, Atali insulted Zamri and then went to the Channel 13 studio and criticized the program, and Guy Meroz attacked him harshly. Magal told Atali that he came out very small and added that he spat into the well from which he drank.

Atali, in response, said he learned of his removal on air, and claimed that he asked to withdraw a week and a half ago but senior channel figures asked him to wait. He admitted that he expressed himself inappropriately in the confrontation with Zamri. On Arel Segal and Haim Levinson's radio program, criticism of the removal was heard, and Levinson wrote that it amounts to hypocrisy.