CNN staffers complain of ‘pro-Israel’ bias

Christiane Amanpour, who has openly expressed hostility for Israel, claims network needs more pro-Palestinian voices.

By World Israel News Staff

Journalists and staffers at CNN believe the network is too pro-Israel in its reporting of the ongoing Swords of Iron War, according to a leaked recording heard by The Intercept.

During a meeting at CNN’s London bureau between senior executives and staff, employees alleged that the network was promoting the Israeli narrative and that Arab and Muslim journalists felt “silenced” and that they are subject to a “hostile work environment.”

Senior journalist Christiane Amanpour complained about a dearth of reporting from the ground in Gaza, and asserted that CNN’s editorial policies towards Israel are rife with double standards, according to The Intercept report about her comments during the meeting.

Notably, Amanpour has repeatedly expressed hostility towards Israel during her reporting. Last year, Amanpour falsely claimed that the Dee family, who were unarmed and murdered by terrorists who shot their vehicle at point-blank range, had “died in a shootout.”

She suggested sending Muslim and Arab reporters to cover the war, insinuating that they would provide “context” for terrorists atrocities or war crimes committed by Hamas.

The reporting “has to be [done by] the people who know, through experience, what they’re seeing, and how to speak truth to power on all sides. And how to recognize the difference between political or whatever or terrorist attack, and the humanity, and to be able to put all of that into reporting.”

Amanpour was particularly focused on CNN’s fact-checking process for stories about Israel, called SecondEyes, which also involves review for classified information by Israel’s military censor.

She was reassured by executives that “the employees’ concerns were being heard,” and that SecondEyes follows standard journalistic processes around changing incorrect or inaccurate aspects of stories.

“You’ve heard from me, you’ve heard my, you know, real distress with SecondEyes — changing copy, double standards, and all the rest,” said Amanpour in the leaked recording.

“So you’ve heard it, and I hear what your response is and I hope it does go a long way.”