After coming under heavy fire for its initial coverage of Tuesday's attack at Bnei Torah synagogue in Western Jerusalem, CNN issued a public apology.
“As CNN updated its reporting on the terrorist attack on the synagogue in Jerusalem earlier today, our coverage did not immediately reflect the fact that the two Palestinians killed were the attackers. We erred and regret the mistake," CNN said in a statement that was posted on Israeli news websites late Tuesday.
CNN’s initial headline reporting the attack read “4 Israelis, 2 Palestinians Dead in Jerusalem," leading to ridicule for its conflation of victims and attackers.
In a later headline, CNN mistakenly referred to the synagogue in which the killings took place as a mosque:
Internet users were not quick to forget the mistake. Several Facebook users developed memes with victim-blaming headlines:
CNN wasn't the only outlet to come under fire for its reporting on the massacre.
Canada's CBC news wrote the following headline after the attack:
Reuters referred to the attack's perpetrators as "suspected" Palestinians, far after the identities of the attackers had been confirmed:
editor@jewishweek.com
The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today.
