ABC has made changes to its guidance on how to correctly report on the Middle Eastern conflict

The taxpayer-funded broadcaster has sent out new guidelines to staff explaining how to report accurately on the war which includes changes to the language used.

The ABC has been accused of twisting the truth by introducing “judgmental language” in a directive telling staff to describe the actions of Israel on the Lebanese side of the border as a “land invasion”.

Employees were last week sent instructions by the manager of editorial policies for news, Mark Maley, explaining new Middle East Conflict Guidance Revisions which explained how to correctly report on ongoing conflicts.

“Confirming here that we are now describing the current actions of Israel on the Lebanese side of the border as a ‘land invasion’,” he wrote in an internal email obtained by The Australian.

The ABC, headed by managing director David Anderson, also told staff other changes had been made and must be adopted by when reporting on the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.

In the specific guidelines shared with employees it explained the terms “invasion/incursion”.

“Gaza is not Israeli territory, so what the Israeli military is doing is an invasion or an incursion. Both are accurate,” the guidelines said.

The ABC’s manager of editorial policies for news Mark Maley.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s co-chief executive Peter Wertheim told The Australian the use of the term “land invasion” was a “perverse twisting of the truth”.

“The border between Israel and Lebanon had been quiet for a long time before October 8 last year when Hezbollah commenced firing thousands of rockets at civilian population centres in Israel,” he said.

“More than 65,000 Israeli civilians were forced to evacuate their homes and they have not been able to return, as the Hezbollah attacks have been constant.

“Yet it is only when Israel dares to defend its people by sending the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) into Lebanon to remove the terrorist threat, and make it safe for its residents to return home, that the ABC decides to introduce judgmental language.

“The Israelis do not seek to conquer Lebanese territory, as the word ‘invasion’ falsely suggests.

“Their ground campaign is a limited incursion to clear Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon, as was ordered by UN Security Council resolution 1701 in 2006.”

In the missive from the broadcaster’s management, Mr Maley also said changes had been added to the lengthy staff guidance about terrorist organisation Hezbollah which included, “adding guidance on the decision of the ICC (International Criminal Court) prosecutor to seek arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli officials.”

In the staff guidance explained under Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, it states: “The governments of Australia, the UK, US, and Canada classify Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah as terrorist organisations and reference to this official terrorist designation should be included regularly in our coverage on all platforms.

“Due to limited space this will not always be possible when providing brief updates on the conflict in radio and TV news, RVOs (return voice overs), individual blog posts or short digital copy.

“However, it must routinely be included in reporting on individual acts of terrorism directed at civilians and stories focused on the nature of those groups and their history.”

Last week ABC reporter Anushri Sood asked Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to explain why particular groups were listed as terrorist organisations in Australia.

“Just on that point with Hezbollah, you’re saying being responsible for the deaths of women and children,” Sood said.

“Groups have commented on the hypocrisy of that situation because there are no bans currently on Israeli flags being raised, despite 45,000 people dying at the hands of the Israeli government.”

Peter Dutton says the ABC is in “greater trouble” than he thought after a reporter asked him about Australia’s listing of Hezbollah a terrorist organisation. Picture: Sky News Australia.

Mr Dutton, noticeably frustrated at the question, responded: “They’re a terrorist organisation, they organise terrorist attacks and if that is not clear to the ABC, then I think the ABC is in greater trouble than even I first imagined.”

The Liberal leader told 2GB host Ray Hadley on Thursday that the ABC was “full of activists not journalists and they’re using taxpayers’ money”.

“To send out an activist like that to a press conference and try and push these juvenile lines, I just think reflects very poorly on the ABC.

“But how does the ABC respond? The ABC says, ‘we’re very worried about the journalist and her welfare’.”

The ABC was contacted for comment.

Originally published as ABC has made changes to its guidance on how to correctly report on the Middle Eastern conflict