Al Jazeera suspends two journalists over Holocaust report

Al Jazeera Media Network has suspended two journalists over a video that downplayed and misrepresented the Holocaust.

The Qatar-based network announced the disciplinary action in a statement on Sunday.

The video, published on Al Jazeera’s online Arabic news platform, AJ+, “contravened its editorial standards”, said the network, which is the parent company of aljazeera.com. 

The content was swiftly deleted from AJ+ web pages and social media accounts.

Yaser Bishr, executive director of Al Jazeera’s digital division, said the network “completely disowns the offensive content in question” and would not tolerate such material on any of the network’s platforms.

In an email to staff, he also announced a mandatory bias and sensitivity training programme.

The video report claimed the Zionist movement had misrepresented the extent of the Holocaust, and “adopted the narrative” that Nazis killed six million Jews.

Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+, said in a statement that the video was produced without due oversight.

Announcing a review of workflows at AJ+ to ensure all content goes through proper editorial channels, Khatib also called on all AJ+ editors and journalists to comply with the network’s editorial values.

“Al Jazeera continues to adhere to the journalistic values of honesty, courage, fairness, balance, independence, credibility and diversity,” the network said in the statement.

“In addition, the network recognises the diversity in societies with all races, cultures, beliefs and their values and intrinsic individualities.”

It also said it has not shied away from acknowledging and rectifying mistakes in its editorial content since its inception.