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Jewish community lashes ABC breakfast host Patricia Karvelas over ’genocide’ questioning

Members of the Jewish community have criticised questioning by ABC radio national host Patricia Karvelas about whether the treatment of Palestinians is ‘genocide’.

ABC presenter Patricia Karvelas. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian
ABC presenter Patricia Karvelas. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

ABC radio national breakfast host Patricia Karvelas’s questioning of Federal Minister Tony Burke about whether the treatment of Palestinians is genocide has left members of the Jewish community “sickened”.

During the 19-minute interview that aired on Friday morning, Karvelas asked Minister Burke: “I’ve heard people describe it as a genocide, do you see it that way?”

Mr Burke replied by saying he would “prefer to provide the facts” and “your listeners will find their own words to describe it”.

Former federal Labor MP Michael Danby – who is Jewish – said he was appalled by Karvelas’s comments and criticised the ABC’s actions in recent weeks in covering the conflict in Israel.

“Shame on you, Patricia Karvelas, I’m sickened”, he told The Australian.

“After all that the ABC has done lately, one of their leading presenters, Karvelas, accuses Israel of genocide.

“What about the 40 children who are hostages in Gaza, don’t these people have any caution, don’t they have any self-preservation instincts, aren’t they rational, no they are fanatics.”

Mr Danby also said Karvelas should have questioned Mr Burke about “why Australia is giving $25 million to Hamas and not at least tying it to releasing the hostages including 40 children.”

Mr Danby also referenced the comments made by the ABC’s Middle East correspondent Tom Joyner who came under fire this month after he labelled reports about babies being beheaded by Hamas terrorists as “bullshit” in a WhatsApp group with international media.

He is now under investigation by the ABC for his comments and he has been rotated out of Israel and will then return to his base in Istanbul.

The ABC were asked about Karvelas’s “genocide” questioning on Friday and a spokeswoman said she had “done an outstanding job covering this complex, unfolding situation”.

“As part of a lengthy, detailed interview with Federal Minister Tony Burke she put the use of the word ‘genocide’ to him and asked for his thoughts on its usage,” an ABC spokeswoman said.
“The usage of the word is being widely discussed, for example in a UN statement last week. “She doesn’t use the word herself.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Peter Wertheim.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Peter Wertheim.
Federal Minister Tony Burke. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman
Federal Minister Tony Burke. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Peter Wertheim disagreed and said Karvelas’s question was “entirely misdirected.”
“She should have asked Tony Burke to comment about the openly stated intention of Hamas to commit genocide against the Jewish population of Israel, an intention that became an all too gruesome reality on October 7,” he said.

“Those who are genuinely concerned about the lives and welfare of civilians in Gaza cannot remain silent about their exploitation by Hamas as human shields, and about the well-documented record of Hamas in stealing fuel and other vital supplies from aid agencies instead of allowing these supplies to be delivered to the people who need them.”

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/jewish-community-lashes-abc-breakfast-host-patricia-karvelas-over-genocide-questioning/news-story/8970d4736d8618b2bd821d1c72d51683