Israeli TV network’s office vandalized with threat calling for ‘blood of traitors’

Threatening graffiti was found spray-painted outside the offices of the Channel 13 news network in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning, as broadcast agencies warn of a sharp uptick in incitement against journalists.

The spraypainted message, an apparent death threat, read: “The blood of the traitors will be cleared for publication,” the latter part paraphrasing a term generally used by the IDF when it announces the deaths of soldiers.

Channel 13 announced that it had filed a complaint with the police, saying it “unequivocally condemns” the vandalism. “There is no place in society for violence and threats. Differences of opinion must be resolved through dialogue and understanding,” declared the outlet.

The Israeli TV Channels Forum, an umbrella group representing Israel’s three largest news channels, called the vandalism “a product of persistent, organized and dangerous incitement against journalists and against free media bodies in Israel.”

Noting a recent escalation in threats on journalists, the group — which includes Channel 12, Channel 13 and the Kan public broadcaster — said the incident joins “sweeping, increasingly powerful developments whose aim is to undermine media independence, close broadcasting agencies and ultimately limit the freedom of press and expression.”

The graffiti was found a week after right-wing activists were filmed harassing Channel 12 correspondent Guy Peleg following a speaking gig in Tel Aviv.

Peleg, who has come under fire from the right over his airing of leaked footage from the Sde Teiman holding facility last year depicting soldiers’ alleged abuse of a Gazan detainee, was hounded by the group as they tried to block him from reaching his car. He had to request a police escort in order to return safely to his vehicle.

Police earlier this week interrogated right-wing activist Mordechai David on suspicion of threatening Peleg as he exited the event. In footage of the confrontation, he was heard shouting: “Guy Peleg, you will need a police escort wherever you go in the world.”

David was released by police after being questioned, subject to limitations and barred from contacting Peleg for 15 days.

This wasn’t the first time David had been probed for making threats on journalists. He acted similarly in October 2024, when he filmed journalists Aviad Glickman and Orly Bar-Lev during a hearing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

Police on Monday said they detained a Holon resident in his 20s on suspicion of making online threats against news presenters for the right-wing Channel 14 outlet, namely Yinon Magal, Yaakov Bardugo and Maggie Tabibi.

He was released to house arrest after being questioned and prohibited from contacting the three journalists or entering Modiin, where the channel’s headquarters are located.