The Video Showing the Hacking of Israel’s Channel 14 Broadcast Is Fake

Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be fake. The circulated clip is fabricated through digital manipulation, and Israel's Channel 14 broadcast was not hacked, as claimed.

Channel 14 Discussion: Celebrations Amid Gaza War

The circulated clip dates back to the evening news bulletin aired by Channel 14 on March 24. It discussed the unified claim among city mayors and councils to adopt a limited celebratory schedule on "Israeli Independence Day" on May 14. The discussion featured the Mayor of Givatayim in Tel Aviv, Ran Kunik, while military parades from the "Independence Day" 2023 were simultaneously broadcast on the other half of the screen.

During his interview with Channel 14, Kunik expressed that the public mood suggests that "this is not really the right time for these things and celebrations, especially since we are in a state of war." This was accompanied by directives from the police and military to limit the use of fireworks and caution in their launch areas, fearing they might cause panic among residents. He also expressed his personal unwillingness to halt the celebrations.

False Claims About Arab Hackers

It is worth noting that this is not the first time such a claim has circulated. In October 2023, some social media users shared a similar video clip, accompanied by the claim that a "Moroccan hacker" had breached the broadcast of Channel 14 to display a message supportive of Palestine. However, Misbar revealed that the video was digitally manipulated, and the broadcast was not interrupted at that time for any reason.

In April 2024, social media users circulated a claim stating that an "Arab hacker" had exposed the identity of the head of the Israeli Intelligence Unit 8200, Colonel Yossi Sariel. Misbar clarified that it was actually a team from The Guardian newspaper, composed of investigative journalist Harry Davies, open-source journalist Manisha Ganguli, and Jerusalem correspondent Bethan McKernan, who uncovered his identity.

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