Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Israeli TV network criticized for broadcasting from Mecca

“I would like to reiterate that [it] was not intended to offend Muslims or any other person. If anyone takes offense to this video, I deeply apologize,” wrote news editor Gil Tamary.

Channel 13 news editor Gil Tamary takes a selfie in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, July 2022. Credit: Channel 13 news.
Channel 13 news editor Gil Tamary takes a selfie in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, July 2022. Credit: Channel 13 news.

Israeli Channel 13 chief international news editor Gil Tamary is facing criticism for breaking a Saudi ban on non-Muslims visiting Mecca.

The report of his visit aired on Monday. By Tuesday, Tamary had profusely apologized on Twitter for the appearance.

“Disclaimer: I would like to reiterate that this visit to Mecca was not intended to offend Muslims or any other person. If anyone takes offense to this video, I deeply apologize,” he said. “The purpose of this entire endeavor was to showcase the importance of Mecca and the beauty.”

Tamary again apologized in another tweet, stating, “Once again, if anyone was hurt by or offended by this, I apologize wholeheartedly. We had no such intention.”

https://twitter.com/newsisrael13/status/1549059304870842369?s=20&t=3_me_j8HCd5rXn80Nl9EFQ

The protest coincided with the anti-Israel film’s screening and featured excerpts from “October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre.”
“The friendship between the Moroccan and Jewish peoples has deep roots and a rich history,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
“When I was a little kid, all the Barbies looked like women I couldn’t relate to at all,” Bryce Gruber, a shopping editor, told JNS.
The Islamist group “has been operating in Judea and Samaria for decades,” Shai Maimon tells JNS in rebuking the French president.