As Gaza war rages, Deutsche Welle insiders accuse outlet of pro-Israel bias
Al Jazeera
Journalists at the German media network say newsroom leaders instil fear and dehumanise Palestinian suffering.
Names marked with an asterisk* have been changed to protect identities.
Berlin, Germany – Senior newsroom figures at Germany’s public broadcaster Deutsche Welle are cultivating a culture of fear among journalists who are tasked with reporting on Israel’s war on Gaza, 13 staff members and freelancers currently working for the network – plus a former long-term correspondent – have told Al Jazeera.
They accuse Deutsche Welle of pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian bias, allege that they have heard colleagues make Islamophobic and dehumanising remarks about Palestinians and protesters in the Berlin office with impunity, and have shared with Al Jazeera several internal documents – one of which lists “possible comebacks” for anchors to use during live interviews with “pro-Palestinian voices” who make “controversial statements” – such as accusing Israel of war crimes.
Other documents include a separate style guide specifically for covering Israel and the Palestinian territories, which informs staff that the word “Palestine” cannot be used in coverage “as it has not yet gained the status of a state”.
“For territory, we refer specifically to the West Bank or Gaza, or the Palestinian territories,” the guide states.
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