Israeli Envoy Criticizes German Journalist Over Gaza Genocide Reference

Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, has publicly condemned ARD’s Tel Aviv correspondent, Sophie von der Tann, accusing her of activism over journalism after she reposted a New York Times op‑ed entitled “I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It,” with the phrase “Never Again.” The op‑ed, written by Holocaust historian Omer Bartov, compared Israel’s actions in Gaza to genocide, prompting widespread backlash. Prosor argued that von der Tann’s endorsement of the piece crosses a professional boundary, stating, “If Sophie von der Tann would rather become an activist, she should switch jobs,” and decrying her use of “Never Again” as “distorting and trivialising history”.

Bartov, a Brown University professor and vocal critic of Israeli policy, has previously accused Israel of ethnic cleansing, a stance that deeply offended Israeli officials. Prosor accused Bartov of politicising Holocaust memory.

Von der Tann, who has worked as ARD’s correspondent in Tel Aviv since 2021 and reports in both Hebrew and Arabic, is widely respected in Germany for her empathetic coverage of the region. Israeli critics, however, contend that her reporting displays bias against Israel. In a Süddeutsche Zeitung interview, von der Tann recounted being haunted by images of suffering in Gaza, but did not mention Hamas’s October 7 massacre or the abduction of Israelis, which, according to Prosor, demonstrates a lack of balance.

Prosor further criticised von der Tann’s historical perspective and judgment, suggesting that viewers of ARD deserve more responsible reporting. His remarks carried a dismissive tone: “If that’s too boring, there’s good news: It’s never been easier to switch from journalism to activism! Anti‑Israel NGOs are booming and are now urgently seeking dedicated staff.”

The Israeli embassy echoed his concerns, warning that von der Tann’s actions undermine Germany’s public broadcasting ethos of objectivity, fairness, and historical responsibility in its coverage of Israel.

This episode underscores the delicate nature of media framing in the Gaza conflict. Israel and Germany will be closely watching to see if von der Tann’s network addresses the controversy or enacts policy changes to reaffirm the standards of impartial journalism in conflict zones.

References –

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjf9qyk8xl