France 24 Journalist Fired Over Antisemitic Posts, Second in Group Highlighted by CAMERA
France 24, a state-funded media outlet, has fired journalist Dina Abi-Saab following the exposure of old antisemitic posts. Abi-Saab is the second among four journalists who were mentioned during a French parliamentary session on July 18 for similar acts. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) revealed the antisemitic tweets from these journalists back in March. CAMERA focuses on detecting anti-Israeli bias in the international media and has published the names and profiles of those involved on social media platforms.
In March, France 24 had already fired its Beirut correspondent, Joelle Maroun, after a report revealed a series of troubling posts, including praising Adolf Hitler and calling for violence against Jews. Now, Abi-Saab, of Lebanese origin and formerly France 24’s correspondent in Geneva, has been dismissed for controversial and antisemitic messages on her personal Twitter account. In 2017, she shared an article claiming that conflicts in the Middle East were caused by the arrival of Western Jews in Palestine.
According to CAMERA, these journalists have been dubbed the anti-Israel club of France24. In 2019, Abi-Saab referred to terrorist Omar Abu Laila, who had killed two civilians before being killed by Israeli soldiers, as a martyr. She also welcomed rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and referred to Israel as occupied Palestine in other tweets. These offensive posts were public and had been visible for many years on the employees’ personal accounts.
CAMERA emphasized that France 24 uses funds from French taxpayers as a state-funded media outlet and pays the salaries of these journalists. French MP Meyer Habib raised the issue during a recent session at the National Assembly, questioning the government about the appropriateness of funding journalists who openly express such opinions.
The dismissal of Abi-Saab highlights the severity of the issue. It demonstrates that France 24 is taking a proactive stance against antisemitism and ensuring that its employees uphold professional standards. However, this incident serves as a reminder that public figures and journalists carry a significant responsibility in shaping public opinion, and their actions must be aligned with promoting understanding, tolerance, and unbiased reporting.
The exposure and subsequent response to these antisemitic posts underline the importance of organizations like CAMERA, who strive for accuracy and fairness in media reporting. It also emphasizes the need for media organizations to conduct regular checks on their employees’ social media activity to prevent and address any behavior that violates ethical guidelines.
As this issue continues to be discussed, it is crucial to recognize that balanced and diverse perspectives should be included in the dialogue surrounding antisemitism and any form of discrimination. These discussions serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against prejudice and the necessary measures to combat it, whether within the media or society as a whole.
