Media Update: Kan Bet News Returns to One-Sided Support For Deal At Any Cost
Dr. Aaron Lerner 5 May 2024

Kan Reshet Bet Radio has returned to featuring a recording of a relative of
a hostage saying that a deal must be made at any cost in each of their
hourly news broadcasts.

These are also sometimes being broadcast during the programs in place of
advertisements.

The shows are all now featuring interviews with relatives of hostages as
well as ex-brass and former government officials advocating a deal at any
cost.

There are no serious discussions of the consequences for Israel's future if
we enter into a deal in which the United States of America guarantees our
defeat to Hamas.

To be clear: there is certainly a place in coverage to include the view
that it is ok for Israel to accept defeat in exchange for the possibility
that the hostages are released.

But it is not acceptable to ban discussions of such a critical policy
decision.

Unfortunately, last week President Herzog called for people not to say
things which might upset the families of the hostages after a minister said
that Israel's survival requires our defeating Hamas and thus we cannot
accept defeat if that is required to gain the release of the hostages.

That might have won him points in his echo chamber, but his job isn't to
play to an amen chorus.

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Media Note: Kan Bet News Suddenly Balancing Reporting On Deal

Dr. Aaron Lerner 1 May 2024

For months almost every hourly news bulletin on Kan Reshet Bet Radio
featured a recording of a relative of a hostage saying that a deal must be
made at any cost.

Sound bytes from ex-brass and former government officials advocating a deal
at any cost were also featured.

At the end of Passover Reshet Bet began to also have sound bytes from
relatives of hostages and ex-brass and former government officials who feel
that the priority is to defeat Hamas and/or that defeating Hamas is the best
way to free the hostages.

This alternative view was first lightly sprinkled between the constant
recordings for a deal at any cost.

The mix has continued to shift, so much so that by this afternoon the news
bulletins have an equal mix of views supporting both stands.

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