Open letter a matter for the ABC: Rowland

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has refused to weigh into the open letter criticising coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict signed by more than 100 journalists.

Communications Minister Mich­elle Rowland has refused to weigh into the open letter criticising coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict signed by more than 100 journalists, including from the ABC.Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Beach

Communications Minister Mich­elle Rowland has refused to weigh into the open letter criticising coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict signed by more than 100 journalists, including from the national broadcaster, leaving it up to the ABC to respond to the ­actions of its staff.

The unprecedented letter released on Friday called for “as much professional scepticism” to be applied to the Israeli government as to Hamas and to give more coverage to “credible alle­gations of war crimes, genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid”.

Signatories include staff from the ABC, which comes under the purview of Ms Rowland’s ­portfolio.

However, she would not be drawn on the matter on Sunday.

“The ABC has operational and editorial independence,” a spokeswoman for Ms Rowland said.

“Questions about the actions of ABC staff should be directed to management.”

The comments follow the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald warning staff against signing the letter if they wanted to cover the conflict, out of concern it could bring their impartiality into question.

The letter – released ahead of the release of 13 Israeli hostages at the weekend – drew criticism from Jewish peak bodies, the Coalition and some journalists.

“Journalists should focus on objective, accurate reporting rather than activism,” opposition communication spokesman David Coleman said.

Opposition communication spokesman David Coleman. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Former ABC broadcaster Ramona Koval. Picture: Darren James

Former ABC broadcaster Ramona Koval, whose parents survived the Holocaust, said the integrity of journalists was being brought into question.

“Media companies must not allow themselves to become partisan combatants in this propaganda war, effectively serving the interest of a terrorist group, cheered on by useful idiots on their own staff,” she wrote in The Australian on Monday.

In the wake of the letter being released, Health Minister Mark Butler addressed the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and stressed that Labor was committed to standing against levels of anti-Semitism he said had not been seen in decades. “We will not let it find so much as a foothold,” he said.

“Attempts to provoke or intimidate your community, including here in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, as we saw so shamefully, equally must be called out, must be resisted.

“We must never forget why we supported the creation of the state of Israel back then, and why we support the state of Israel still today.”

Mr Butler – who has Jewish ancestry – said it was important for the Jewish community and for governments to have “close, frank and fearless dialogue about how we navigate these incredibly difficult waters that we’re confronted with.”

However, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the only way for there to be a “safe and secure ­Israel” was for there to be a safe and secure Palestine, reiterating the government’s desire for a two-state solution.

“Israel has always had rights (to defend itself), but also they have obligations under the rules of war and we continue to call for those obligations to be observed,” he told ABC.

Mr Bowen said that while the temporary ceasefire was welcome, a more permanent situation was needed.

The conflict has claimed the lives of about 1200 Israelis, who were killed during the October 7 attack, and more than 14,000 ­people in Gaza.

Opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said the government had not responded to the conflict appropriately, and was “divided on the issue”.