(JTA) — An editor for Newsweek Middle East magazine posted classic anti-Semitic expressions on Twitter in response to pro-Israel critics of a magazine feature titled “Where is Palestine?”
The article, accompanied by a video, appeared on the magazine’s website on Aug. 24 and was written by Ben White, described by the HonestReporting watchdog website as “a well-known anti-Israel activist.” The video sets out to prove that a state of Palestine exists and has for more than a century. It uses original documents dating back to the late 1800s to show that a state of Palestine existed and complains that Google uses the term Israel and not Palestine on its maps.
The article and video are debunked on the watchdog blogs Elder of Ziyon and Israellycool.
Pro-Israel activists began responding to the feature on the Twitter page of Newsweek Middle East’s senior deputy editor, Leila Hatoum, after she retweeted it to the pro-Palestinian blog Electronic Intifada with the message: “dear @intifada I do hope you like the video which @NewsweekMEteam has recently created. Share and let everyone know the facts :)”.
https://twitter.com/Leila1H/status/773222417938411520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
In a tweet on Sept. 9, Hatoum wrote: “unlike most of zionist trolls. I’m not owned by any corporate+ I don’t worship the $ nor do I care what zionists think of me.”
She also wrote on the same day: “I am semite, unlike most of zionist cry-babies+I’m a native of this land.” Hatoum also said that Ashkenazi Jews are not Semites and are not at all connected to the land of Israel.
The watchdog groups have called on those who are appalled by Hatoum’s tweets to post messages on her personal social media accounts as well the social media accounts for Newsweek Middle East to complain. Newsweek Middle East is editorially independent from the main Newsweek title, according to Honest Reporting.
Hatoum has tweeted statements in the past that appear to be anti-Semitic. In July 2014 she tweeted: “Hitler’s mom was Jewish. Prostitute who gave him an STD was Jewish his GF was Jewish, his dr. was Jewish.”
Early Wednesday morning she tweeted: “I’d like to thank trolls for helping me enjoy the past week (since my team published: where is Palestine?) Haven’t laughed this hard in ages.”
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