Muhammad Majadala Adi Karmi/screenshot, News 12
The Second Authority is responding to the "West Bank" storm and backing 12 News commentator Muhammad Majadala, who used the phrase to describe what is happening in the IOS territories - this is according to a response they sent to a complaint filed on the subject.
Let's recall:
about a week ago there was a sharp confrontation on the air between Majadala and a senior official Former Shin Bet member Adi Karmi: During a discussion on the broadcast moderated by Edva Dadon following the attack at the Hamsh checkpoint in Samaria, Majadala said the words "West Bank" in his commentary on the attack.
Karmi cried out and said: "I have to comment. He used the term 'West Bank' two or three times here. It is a term that the Palestinians use. The 'West Bank' means Palestine - the part of it inside Judea and Samaria."
At this point Adwa Dadon stopped Carmi and told him "First of all it's not 'he', his name is 'Muhammad' and he is a commentator like you are a commentator".
Majadala turned to Karmi and said to him: "Let's start by asking the heads of government to stop saying 'the West Bank' and then talk to me. Go. Don't give me comments on what I say. Don't interfere with what I say. Half a country says 'the West Bank' , do not interfere".
When Karmi tried to explain what he meant, Majadala raised his voice even more: "Don't interfere with what I say! The fact that you were in the Shin Bet and told the Arabs what to say - that doesn't happen here.
Don't tell me what to say!"
Following the debate, the right-wing activist, Betzelmo CEO Shai Glick, filed a complaint with the Second Authority demanding that News 12 use the exact name of the place. Glick claimed that "We are in the State of Israel and the Land of Israel.
There is no dispute that the name of these places is Judea and Samaria. It is possible to argue politically whether to return these territories or not, but that is their name.
The term West Bank does not have any official / legal or historical origin.
The place was never called the West Bank according to the law, except during Jordanian rule, which is now irrelevant."
The second authority rejected the complaint, and on behalf of the David Regev Public Inquiries Commissioner, it was stated: "Until the Six Day War, the name of the land between the Green Line and the Jordan River and the Dead Sea was recognized by the Kingdom of Jordan and throughout the world as the 'West Bank' (Bank West).
During the Six Day War this area was occupied/liberated and in July 1968 the Names Committee of the Israeli government decided that it would be called 'Judea and Samaria' but every speaker, including those in the media, chose how to call the area.
Shortly after the establishment of the first government of the late Menachem Begin, the government decided that in the official documents the territory would be called 'Judea and Samaria' only.
However, this is not a decision that obligates one person or another, and each person may call the area by one of the two names he chooses.
By the way, in most countries in the world the area is called the 'West Bank'.
Everyone chooses within the framework of the freedom of expression granted to him and according to his discretion what to call the territory.
As long as there is no law or rule that prohibits this, I do not believe that the judgment of a journalist who calls the area 'the West Bank' should be interfered with."
Shay Glick, CEO of Betzelo,
said in response: "I respect the Commissioner's decision, at the same time, I call on Channel 12 to follow Their colleagues on Channel 13 ordered Barak Ravid to use the words Yehuda and Samaria and not the West Bank. We live in the State of Israel, the State of the Jews and Yehuda and Samaria is the true and most accurate historical name. By God's decree, you can happily use these words not on Israeli channels, and even more so in times of war."
More on the same topic:
Muhammad Majadala
The second authority
News 12