Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy went viral after his reaction to an “astonishing accusation” in a media interview about the Israel war against Hamas terrorists.
Levy said he was momentarily left “speechless” after Sky News interviewer Kay Burley’s question about a potential hostage swap with Hamas, as it seemed to suggest Israel may place a different value on human lives since the exchange would bring home 50 Israelis taken by Hamas last month while 150 Palestinian prisoners would be freed.
“I was speaking to a hostage negotiator this morning. He made the comparison between the 50 hostages that Hamas promised to release, as opposed to the 150 prisoners that are Palestinians that Israel has said that it will release,” Burley said. “And he made the comparison between the numbers and the fact that does Israel not think Palestinian lives are valued as highly as Israeli lives?”
The first question that left me speechless (but only for a second): pic.twitter.com/P4Bh0SKtl9
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 23, 2023
“That is an astonishing accusation,” Levy replied, in a wide-eyed response that exploded on social media.
“If we could release one prisoner for every one hostage, we would obviously do that. We are operating in horrific circumstances,” he added.
Look at me, mummy, I’m a GIF. https://t.co/jrwFfy30do
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 23, 2023
“Notice the question of proportionality doesn’t interest Palestinian supporters when they are able to get more of their prisoners out,” he said.
“It is outrageous to suggest that the fact that we are willing to release prisoners who are convicted of terrorism offenses, more of them than we are getting our own innocent children back, somehow suggests that we don’t care about Palestinian lives. Really, that’s a disgusting accusation,” he told Burley.
For her part, the Sky News presenter went on with her interview seemingly unfazed by Levy’s reaction, pivoting to focus next on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In another post on X, Levy noted that “Life imitates satire” in reaction to a comment about how Israel would still be criticized amid the cease-fire deal as they “don’t consider Palestinians fully human, which is why they exchange 3 Palestinians for every Israeli hostage.”
Life imitates satire pic.twitter.com/ZNVMzzLcSf
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 23, 2023
Another clip making the rounds on X was one of Burley and her reaction to the topic of “hostages.”
Sky News Presenter Kay Burley shrugs and shows disdain when Israeli hostages are mentioned by her producer.
It comes one day after the presenter received backlash for her interview with Israeli Gov Spokesman @EylonALevy on the hostage situation.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) November 24, 2023
Burley’s attempt to get herself off the hook did not go so well on social media.
Morning Kay,
We do not have to ‘both sides’ this war.
Did Sky ‘both sides’ ISIS, Boko Haram, and Al-Shabaab terrorist atrocities?
No?
Why then does Sky feel the need to ‘both sides’ Hamas atrocities?
Have a good day.
— Jonathan Bergdahl (@JonBergdahl) November 24, 2023
In an interview with GBNews, Levy expressed how “flabbergasted” he was by the question Burley presented.
‘I was flabbergasted, the idea that since Israel is releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners convicted of violence, in exchange for 50 hostages, that somehow means we care less about Palestinian lives?’
Eylon Levy says Kay Burley’s Sky News interview left his ‘jaw dropped.’ pic.twitter.com/zcqID6vhVs
— GB News (@GBNEWS) November 23, 2023
But it was Levy’s facial expression in the Sky News interview that took over the internet, with his post garnering over 13 million views as of this writing.
He continued drawing attention to the viral moment on X as users had fun with memes despite the seriousness of the issue.
I expect my @TheEconomist obituary will open thus: pic.twitter.com/51VhpoirGo
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 23, 2023
Today Hamas spokesman said the long tunnel discovered under Shifa hospital is “a water well”
I kid you not… pic.twitter.com/s588UTQLBb— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 23, 2023
I think I’ve found a post-war career as a cosmetics model. pic.twitter.com/HtrrCs4Pm0
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 23, 2023
Maybe we need to shut down the British media until we can figure out what’s going on with people like her.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 23, 2023
Can you hear that question, and understand the multiple inversions of the facts required to ask it, without your mouth gaping open? pic.twitter.com/ojkwM7a0mh
— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) November 23, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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