New York Times investigating reporter over Gaza ‘slaughterhouse’ tweet
New York (Quds News Network) – The New York Times is currently conducting an investigation into Israeli journalist Anat Schwartz – who has been reporting to the publication since November – following her engagement with multiple social media posts expressing a pro-Israel bias, including one that suggested turning the Gaza Strip into a “slaughterhouse.”
Times spokesperson Danielle Rhodes Ha stated, “We are aware that a freelance journalist in Israel who has worked with The Times has ‘liked’ several social media posts. Those ‘likes’ are unacceptable violations of our company policy. We are currently reviewing the matter.”
Schwartz’s reporting for the Times primarily focused on Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks. One of her notable pieces, a co-bylined article detailing misleading, unfounded reports of sexual violence by Hamas during the raids, faced internal criticism and led to the Times pulling an episode of The Daily podcast associated with the original story, as reported by The Intercept.
The investigation was prompted by a discovery on social media platform X, where it was found that Schwartz had liked several posts with a pro-Israel perspective. One of these likes included a tweet from Israel’s official X account claiming that Hamas beheaded dozens of babies during the October 7 attack, a claim for which Israel provided no evidence and deemed investigating as “disrespectful to the dead.”
Notably, Schwartz’s most controversial ‘like’ came from a post by David Verthaim, who, after the October 7 attacks, suggested that if Hamas did not return hostages to Israel, the Gaza Strip should be turned “into a slaughterhouse.” Verthaim also advocated for Israel to “violate any norm, on the way to victory.”
The New York Times’ social media policy explicitly cautions journalists against expressing partisan opinions, endorsing political views, making offensive comments, or engaging in activities that could undermine the publication’s journalistic reputation. Users on X observed that Schwartz briefly deactivated her account to remove the contentious ‘likes.’
As of now, Schwartz has not responded to requests for comment. Her LinkedIn profile indicates her current role as a director and screenwriter at KAN, an Israeli state-owned media outlet. The situation raises questions about the adherence to journalistic standards and impartiality within the media industry.
