One of Israel’s most prominent television journalists, Dany Cushmaro, caused a scandal in Lebanon.

Cushmaro, a presenter on Channel 12, Israel’s most popular news channel, has been covering the Gaza conflict since the early hours of October 7, 2023. In the first few days, according to Haaretz newspaper, he displayed a critical stance towards Hamas’ attacks and criticized the government for failing to protect citizens in their homes.

Subsequently, Cushmaro adapted to the war by participating in the operations of the Israeli army in Gaza and Lebanon. Haaretz reported that he quickly became “a useful part of the propaganda machine.”

Over the weekend, Channel 12 reported that Cushmaro had pressed a button to detonate explosives in a building in the village of Ayta ash Shab in southern Lebanon.

While enjoying this act, Cushmaro later smiled at the camera and said, “Don’t mess with Jews.”

“DEMONSTRATING PALESTINIAN AND LEBANESE PEOPLE AS AGGRESSIVE”

According to another Israeli publication, Haaretz, Cushmaro’s reports from the war zone were always problematic.

Haaretz mentioned in their article about Cushmaro: “He talks about how proud he is of Israeli soldiers, idolizes the sacrifices they make for their country, and tells how pleasurable it is to see a region that once posed a threat to Israel turned into ruins.”

Haaretz added, “Whether they are Gazans or Lebanese, the local people are not represented in these kinds of news stories. However, Cushmaro tends to portray them as bloodthirsty, greedy, religious fanatics; these fanatics have chosen to attack innocent Israel and bring destruction upon themselves, even though they could lead a wonderful and peaceful life. In short, Cushmaro’s news reports are of a propaganda nature. The fact that his salary comes from a private independent media company and not the Israeli army is just a coincidence.”