UK
Board of Deputies complain to Sky News over claim Israel has ‘lust for revenge’
Alex Crawford made the remark in a piece published to the broadcaster’s website
July 30, 2024 10:26
Alex Crawford made the remark in a piece published to the broadcaster’s website
July 30, 2024 10:26The Board of Deputies has accused a prominent Sky News journalist of exhibiting a “disgraceful lack of professionalism" after she claimed that Israel has a “lust for revenge” in an article published to the broadcaster’s website.
Alex Crawford, a special correspondent based in Istanbul who covers foreign affairs, wrote on Monday that conflict between Hezbollah and Jerusalem had entered a “dangerous stage” following a strike by the terror group that killed 12 Druze civilians in the Golan Heights.
Crawford said: "The Lebanese authorities who're in direct contact with their Hezbollah partners are urging restraint whilst encouraging the Americans to leverage pressure on the Israelis to rein in their lust for revenge.”
In response, a Board spokesperson told the JC: "This is a disgraceful lack of professionalism from a Sky News correspondent.
"We will be contacting Sky directly to ask exactly how such highly disturbing comments fit within their editorial guidelines."
Alan Johnson, editor of the pro-Israel Fathom Journal, said: “I repeat what I tweeted yesterday: the mainstream western media is now the most important global driver of the demonisation of Israel.”
Earlier this year, Crawford was accused of taking “a side” in the war between Israel and Hamas after claiming the former had committed “war crimes”.
Writing on X, she said: “It is absolutely farcical to try to peddle the view that foreign journalists are not entering Gaza because it’s ‘dangerous’.
“International journalists have been delib blocked from entering Gaza by primarily Israel who doesn’t want them seeing the war crimes.”
Danny Cohen, a former director of television at the BBC, told The Telegraph: “Alex Crawford appears uninterested in the principles of impartiality, balance and accuracy that underpin broadcast journalism in the UK. She has clearly taken a side in the Israel-Hamas war, accusing Israel of war crimes without presenting any evidence.”
He added: “At a time of exponentially rising antisemitism, Sky News must act to ensure their journalists are reporting the war without bias and purely on the basis of facts.”
Writing on X, Honest Reporting, a media monitoring watchdog, said: “Dear @SkyNews, thank you for your empathy for the loss of 12 children murdered by Hezbollah. Israelis want and deserve security and to return safely home. Your calling that a ‘lust for revenge’ while our children are being buried is deeply offensive.”
Sky News have been contacted for comment.