Israel's Channel 14 aired more than 50 calls for genocide in Gaza

Israel's Channel 14 has broadcast more than 50 statements calling for or supporting genocide against Palestinians, as well as more than 150 statements calling for or supporting war crimes, according to Israeli rights groups.

The channel also platformed scores of racist statements, as well as those calling for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the starvation of its population.

The data was compiled by Zulat for Equality and Human Rights, Hatzlacha: Movement for the Promotion of a Fair Society, and the Democratic Bloc.

The three groups filed a complaint on Monday to Israel's Attorney General Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and to the Ombudsman of the Second Broadcasting Authority, calling for a criminal investigation.

"Israeli society is deeply traumatized, and this trauma will take years to heal. This is exactly the type of ground upon which moral monstrosities are liable to flourish, and are flourishing," read the letter penned by the lawyers representing the groups.

The letter was sent with a list including quotes from the channel's presenters and guests, which the organisations say demonstrates how Channel 14 has become a "lobbying machine" for crimes against Palestinians.

"Incitement to war crimes is part of the Channel 14 poison machine, and its aim is to create a forever war here," Zahava Galon, president of Zulat for Equality and Human Rights, was quoted by Haaretz as saying.

"This is a channel that enjoys regulatory benefits from the state and serves the political and diplomatic interests of Prime Minister Netanyahu," Galon said.

"It also incites against the LGBTQ community, against the families of hostages, against the justice system and against the senior commanders in the army," Galon added.

Days after the launch of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October, former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin appeared on Channel 14's 'The Patriots' programme saying that "if the goal of this operation isn't destruction, occupation, expulsion and settlement, then we've done nothing".

On the same show on 15 October, a recording of Israeli singer Eyal Golan saying that "Gaza should be totally wiped out, no one should live there" was aired.

Golan's statement was quoted by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Speaking on Channel 14's news programme in November, Israeli political commentator Jacob Bardugo called for the indiscriminate bombing of Gazans.

"We need to bombard them indiscriminately. We're doing it discriminately, and that's not a good thing… The air force could be working a lot more and discriminating between combatants and noncombatants," Bardugo said.

In August, host Yinon Magal read out a social media post from Israeli soldier Dvir Lugar, who said: "The destruction in Gaza gives me a good feeling. Gaza is in a state of devastation. The devastation machine needs to keep working."

The three groups who filed the complaint say that the channel's presenters have made similarly disturbing posts, logging at least 380 statements.

The groups said in their letter that they would give the attorney general and the Second Broadcasting Authority 30 days to respond before recommending legal measures.