On Saturday, Israeli news channel Keshet 12 fired its Arab-Israeli anchor Lama Tatour after she made comments on Instagram about the appearance of one of the recently rescued hostages. The comment was made after 245 days in captivity, and the post-rescue look of Noa Argamani was widely shared online and in the media.
Tatour, who hosted the Arabic cultural show “Perspective” on Keshet 12, posted an Instagram story discussing how Argamani looked after her release. She wrote in Arabic: “This is what a girl that’s been in captivity for nine months looks like???” She added: “Look at her eyebrows, they look better than mine?? Her skin? Her hair and nails???”
The network strongly condemned her words and terminated her work immediately. The producer of the show, Khaled Natur, announced her dismissal on Saturday. According to him, the network condemns any form of violence against innocent people and any form of discrimination based on race or religion.
The images and videos of Argamani reuniting with her family were widely shared online and in the media. She was kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack while attending the Nova music festival. In now-viral videos, she was seen being abducted on a motorcycle by Hamas militants, shouting, “Don’t kill me.”
Tatour’s Instagram account is now private, and Business Insider was unable to reach her for comment. However, it is clear that this incident highlights the need for sensitivity and understanding when discussing sensitive issues related to Israelis and Palestinians.
