ABC summer host Antoinette Lattouf sacked over anti-Israel activism that enraged Ita Buttrose
A fill-in host for one of the ABC’s most coveted radio spots has been sacked after an influx of complaints from the Jewish community reached chairwoman Ita Buttrose.
A fill-in host for one of the ABC’s most coveted radio spots has been sacked for a slew of anti-Israel posts after an influx of complaints from the Jewish community reached the public broadcaster’s chairwoman Ita Buttrose.
Antoinette Lattouf had been hosting ABC Sydney’s mornings program for just three days when numerous complaints were received about her conduct, including recent commentary on social media that “gas the Jews” footage from Sydney’s Opera House was unverified and accusations Israeli forces had committed rape.
The Australian understands that the complaints over Lattouf’s appointment were raised with Ms Buttrose and the board, with sources close to ABC management saying the chairwoman was “furious” with the decision to hire the anti-Israel broadcaster.
The sacked host posted on her social media accounts on Wednesday night that she was “disappointed by the ABC’s decision” and she believed she “was terminated unlawfully.”
“This is not a win for journalism or critical fair thinking,” she wrote.
“I’m currently considering my legal options.”
I am very disappointed by the ABC’s decision today. pic.twitter.com/2evCSUbmPn
— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) December 20, 2023
On Thursday morning Simon Marnie hosted ABC Sydney’s breakfast program and continued into mornings, but despite this the ABC’s Listen app and online site said Lattouf is “live now.”
Former ABC Sydney presenter Josh Szeps, who recently quit the national broadcaster, posted on Instagram comments supporting Lattouff and criticising the radio arm.
Lattouf’s inflammatory social media comments included: “It is also dangerous to and disingenuous to discuss Hamas using rape as a tool of war without acknowledging that Israeli forces do too.”
She also said in a TikTok video that “some kids matter more than others” and “if you have got to choose between sharing one child victim make sure it’s a blonde white one from Israel. Even though there are far more brown Arab kids being slaughtered people will click more and care more.”
Since the October 7 Hamas raids into Israel the outspoken activist has continued to issue a series of pro-Palestinian posts on her social media accounts, including X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Under the ABC’s social media guidelines employees must “protect the ABC’s reputation, independence, impartiality and integrity”. She was sacked for breaching those rules.
Management was on Wednesday night scrambling to find a replacement for Lattouf, who is Australian-Lebanese. She was due to air the Sydney mornings’ program for the rest of the week.
Ms Buttrose, the board and managing director David Anderson received many complaints about Lattouf’s conduct and on Wednesday afternoon she was sacked just hours after finishing her program for the day.
Complaints to the ABC, seen by The Australian, included one member of the Jewish community voicing concerns to Mr Anderson about Lattouf’s offensive remarks. “I am troubled by Ms Lattouf’s bias as evidenced by her stance on opposing the authenticity of the ‘gas the Jews’ chants at the Sydney Opera House,” the woman wrote. “Her actions, in my opinion, contribute to a rewriting of history that is not only inaccurate but also harmful.”
Lattouf also joined hundreds of journalists in signing a controversial open letter calling for all newsrooms to treat unverified information from the democratically elected government of Israel and terror group Hamas with the same “professional scepticism”.
This was later met with condemnation by ABC news director Justin Stevens, who emailed staff to say impartiality must be applied when reporting on the conflict in Israel.
“You should not sign any petition that may bring into question your impartiality or that of the ABC’s coverage,” he wrote.
“Signing this petition may bring into question your ability to cover the story impartially.”
Despite this the ABC still proceeded with having Lattouf as a presenter on its radio network.
Ben Latimer is the ABC’s head of audio and oversees the radio arm but it is understood Sydney manager Steve Ahern appointed Lattouf to the role as a fill-in presenter.
Management will be reviewing the matter to determine how Lattouf was given the fill-in hosting role despite her outspoken and often offensive comments to the Jewish community that she has continued to make in recent months. The Australian made multiple attempts to contact Lattouf for comment but she did not respond.
An ABC spokesman said Lattouf would not be returning to the show and her replacement had not been decided.
“ABC Sydney casual presenter Antoinette Lattouf will not be back on air for her remaining two shifts this week,” he said.
The fallout also comes just a week after the ABC’s youth music channel was in turmoil after airing a controversial segment including the song Long Live Palestine and claims from an Indigenous guest presenter that there is “genocide and oppression and continued hate towards Palestine people”.
EXCLUSIVE:The original source of videos appearing to show protesters chanting “gas the Jews†has refused to provide unedited footage. One verification expert concluded “there’s an audiovisual mismatch†& “audio has been repeated†& police dont have answers https://t.co/PbMTwkkO3A
— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) December 13, 2023
All Triple J guest presenters have been axed following the comments by Miss Kaninna, a Yorta Yorta, Djadja Wurrung, Yirendali and Kalkadoon musician and Triple j Unearthed artist.
ABC Middle East correspondent Tom Joyner was also investigated by the ABC after he posted offensive comments to a WhatsApp group with hundreds of international journalists in October and said that claims of babies in Israel being beheaded by Hamas terrorists were “bullshit”.
Mr Anderson said in written correspondence to Liberal senator Hollie Hughes about the matter: “His (Joyner’s) intention was not to cause harm.”
Joyner was removed from the war zone following his online comments but has now returned to reporting on the conflict in Israel.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said: “Lattouf has consistently used her platform to spread disinformation about Israel and to gaslight the Jewish community.
“Her irresponsible posts encouraged denial of the mob anti-Semitism we witnessed on the Opera House steps and fed anti-Semitic theories about Jewish dishonesty and manipulation.
“The national broadcaster understandably determined she didn’t meet their journalistic standards and would have used her position to cause greater harm.”
Just four days before Lattouf began her hosting gig on ABC radio she also penned an article with colleague Cam Wilson titled “Viral footage showed protesters chanting ‘gas the Jews’. Nobody can verify it.”
This comes despite NSW police being provided with testimony from witnesses at the event who said they heard the chant “gas the Jews”.
More Coverage
Murdochs face off in Reno courthouse over family trust
Rupert Murdoch wants to amend the trust to ensure control passes to his oldest son. Three of his other children oppose the change.
Heston Russell’s ‘please explain’ for ABC chair
The former commando has requested Kim Williams meet with him in the wake of allegations the ABC published doctored online audio in a news report about Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.