Benny Ziffer Fired from Haaretz: 'They Said Goodbye, Not See You Later'

Benny Ziffer, editor of Haaretz's 'Culture and Literature' supplement for 37 years, has been fired. The decision was conveyed in a meeting with publisher Amos Schocken and editor-in-chief Aluf Benn. In an interview with Goel Pinto, he said that alongside him, Neri Livneh and Eran Wolkowski were also dismissed. Ziffer said: "They said goodbye, goodbye and not see you later," adding that he did not beg. He addressed his friendship with the Netanyahu family and said he does not blame the PM for 10/7. He criticized the world of journalism and predicted that without the supplement, the newspaper would cease to exist.

Benny Ziffer, editor of Haaretz's 'Culture and Literature' supplement for 37 years, will end his role this coming October. The decision was conveyed in a meeting over the weekend with publisher Amos Schocken and editor-in-chief Aluf Benn. In an interview with Goel Pinto on the program 'Gam Ken Tarbut' on Kan 11, Ziffer said that alongside him, journalist Neri Livneh, who has written a weekly column for about 60 years, and illustrator Eran Wolkowski were also fired. He said the dismissals stem from an attempt to refresh the staff roster. Ziffer shared: "They said goodbye, goodbye and not see you later," adding that he did not beg. When asked if he cried, he replied: "Inside me, yes, inside me I shed a tear." He admitted that he deliberately acted to become a celebrity, partly through his friendship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, and said: "I do not blame Bibi for 10/7." Ziffer criticized the world of journalism and the race for traffic, and predicted that if the supplement ceases to exist, so will the newspaper.