Piers Morgan clashes with Israeli minister over Gaza criticism smear

Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli backtracked on his accusation that British journalist Piers Morgan was "antisemitic" during a tense exchange on the 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' show this week, despite having previously accused Morgan of a "sharp and troubling descent into overt antisemitism" on social media.

The heated confrontation aired on Monday during an episode initially focused on US-Iran tensions, but quickly shifted after Morgan confronted Chikli over his 4 June post on X, which accused Morgan of platforming "every Israel hater he can find" and treating pro-Israel guests with "vile condescension".

"You did, you implied it," Morgan told Chikli during the broadcast. "I was immediately bombarded by thousands calling me a Jew-hater because of your words". Morgan repeatedly challenged the minister to cite a single antisemitic remark, receiving no direct answer.

Chikli attempted to walk back the accusation, saying: "I never said you’re antisemitic," though the post remains publicly viewable on his official account and has been viewed over 1.3 million times.

It also referenced an unverified claim that Morgan had told US commentator Tucker Carlson he "hates Israel with every fibre of his being"; a claim Morgan strongly denied.

The exchange reflects Morgan's increasingly critical stance toward Israel's war on Gaza. Once a staunch defender of Israel's right to "self-defence", Morgan has since questioned the government's actions in Gaza, calling for accountability over what many leading rights experts have described as war crimes.

Chikli, meanwhile, has faced growing criticism for conflating criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism.

He recently drew backlash for hosting members of far-right European parties, including figures with antisemitic histories, at a Jerusalem conference on antisemitism, raising further doubts about his credibility.

After the episode aired, Chikli doubled down on X, urging Morgan to "take responsibility" for the voices he features on his show.

Morgan responded: "Branding people like me 'antisemitic' for criticising what your government is doing in Gaza is beyond parody".