ALBAWABA - France 24 suspended prominent Palestinian journalist Laila Odeh and announced the decision to open an investigation on Monday over Odeh's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinian journalist was accused of incitement and anti-Semitism over social media posts shared by Odeh on her personal accounts.
كل التضامن مع الزميلة ليلى عودة @lailaodeh4 بعدما أوقفتها قناة فرانس ٢٤ عن العمل بزعم "معاداة السامية" التي تطلق هذه الأيام في أوروبا على كل مؤيد لفلسطيني. تعرضت ليلى، على الهواء، لاعتداء من المستوطنين لأنها عربية فقط.
— أحمد دراوشة (@AhDarawsha) March 10, 2023
Odeh, who speaks four languages_ namely Arabic, English, Hebrew and Russian _ was stopped by France 24 for using terms in her posts, such as "martyr" in reference to the Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.
The journalist also used the phrase "the lands of 1948" when referring to Palestine under the British mandate before Israel's creation. The channel considers that position contrary to its media policy in dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
#ليلى_عودة
— zeina sandouka (@ZeinaSandoukaa) March 12, 2023
الاعلام في أسوأ حالاته وكلنا ماكلينها على مواقفنا pic.twitter.com/Emnq6Eko1P
A widespread support campaign was launched on social media, where Arab journalists and human rights defenders called for standing up for Odeh and condemned France 24's decision to sack her.
Some people went as far as calling for boycotting France 24, which Odeh joined in 2007.
