Following a call from the chairman of ‘Yeshar!’ to agree to a public televised debate, veteran journalist Nissim Mishael recalled a historic event from 1999. Mishael assesses that Prime Minister Netanyahu made a decision after that debate to ensure it would not happen again. The 1999 event appears to have been deeply impactful for Netanyahu. Mishael suggests Netanyahu continues to experience trauma related to the 1999 televised debate. This recollection comes in response to recent pressure for Netanyahu to participate in a public debate. The journalist implies that past experiences strongly influence Netanyahu's current reluctance.