Channel 12 News have filed a complaint to the Israel Police against media personality Yinon Magal, host of The Patriots on Channel 14, claiming he incited violence against Channel 12 news commentator Amnon Abramovich.

Channel 14 claims the complaint was filed in order to "Gag" them and connect it to the criminal investigation that was opened regarding another broadcaster at the station: businessman Yaakov Bardugo, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself is Accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. This came after three senior Likud ministers said that Bardugo tried to extort them for favors using threats.

Channel 12 News filed the complaint following statements made by Magal on Channel 14, in which he claimed that Abramovich, a Tzalash (IDF Distinguished Service Medal) recipient who was severely wounded in the Yom Kippur War, was responsible for the October 7th debacle, during which Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel and massacred hundreds of men, women, and children.

The channel promoted the clip on social media with the caption "Yinon Magal claims - this is the person responsible for October 7th."

In right-wing discourse, there is widespread dissemination of the false conspiracy theory about "Inside Traitors," including by Knesset members from Likud and Otzma Yehudit, and by Netanyahu supporters on social media. Promoting this false narrative is intended, among other things, to shift responsibility away from Prime Minister Netanyahu, the only senior official who has yet to take responsibility for his part in the greatest security failure in Israel's history. A study found a correlation between viewing Channel 14 and belief in the conspiracy.

Following Magal's false accusation, Abramovich faced threats. "On May 9, 2025, I expressed my opinion on the program Friday Studio as part of my work as a journalist regarding the Prime Minister's conduct in managing the war," according to the complaint by Abramovich.

"The next day, on May 10, 2025, Yinon Magal, as part of the program The Patriots on Channel 14, referenced my words that were broadcast on Channel 12 News, incited against me and accused me of [responsibility for] October 7th by saying the following: 'An insolent man, these are the same things he said, that insolent one, because of what he said, that he was an etrog, he made Sharon an etrog in the disengagement [Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip], so we got October 7th. He is guilty of October 7th! And I'm not joking! He is guilty! The blood is on his hands! The blood is on his hands! I personally blame him!'"

"This is severe incitement," the complaint concludes. "Following Magal's publication on The Patriots, I received, among other things, threatening phone calls to my mobile phone."

Channel 12 News published the complaint in a press release and announced that "additional legal steps are being considered against Magal. Magal's incitement campaign continues without any restraints or reins. We will not let this pass in silence."

Channel 14 responded with their own statement. They claimed that filing a police complaint is mafia-like behavior. "In the last day, we are witnessing a new mafioso method: using the Israeli police to hunt journalists," according to the channel, which has faced past complaints for incitement to violence, racism and genocide.

"This began this morning with the State Attorney's Office ordering the opening of a police investigation against a senior commentator who called for her firing, despite there being no complaint in his matter," continued Channel 14's statement, without naming Bardugo, who is defined as a "senior political commentator" on the Channel which consistently broadcasts fake news and government propaganda, "and continues now with Channel 12, which ran to the police to silence the voice of a senior presenter who beat them in ratings last week."

The channel called on the police not to investigate the suspected crimes against its people. "With God's help, Channel 14 will continue to tell the truth, without fear and without intimidation," the channel's statement concluded.