Sky News issued an on-air apology on Friday, January 26, following presenter Belle Donati’s comparison of Israel’s conflict in Gaza to the Holocaust during an interview with former UN ambassador Danny Danon, a member of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Danon’s appearance coincided with the International Court of Justice’s directive for Israel to implement measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and to take action against those who are injecting genocide into the region.
Donati mentioned an article penned by Danon, which appeared in the Wall Street Journal in November with the title “The West Should Embrace Gaza Refugees.” The host asked Danon that he suggested that countries worldwide consider accepting a restricted number of Gazan families who have conveyed their interest in moving.
In response, her guest, Danny Danon, characterized these words as ‘shameful’ and asserted that her remarks amounted to ‘pure anti-Semitism.’ One user took to X and wrote:
The Sky News have immediately issued an on air apology after the debate.
What actually happened in the Sky News debate?
Mr. Danon appeared on the Sky News program following the UN’s top court directive instructing Israel to take comprehensive measures to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza. Notably, the directive did not explicitly call for an end to the ongoing conflict.
A contentious exchange ensued when the presenter asserted that her guest had advocated for the ‘voluntary migration of Palestinians from Gaza.’ According to Deadline, Belle Donati asked:
“You’ve called for a voluntary migration of Palestinians from Gaza. In November you co-authored a piece in the Wall Street Journal. You suggested the ethnic cleansing of some of Gaza’s population to Western countries that would accept the refugees. One idea is for countries around the world to accept limited numbers of Gazan families who have expressed a desire to relocate. Do you stand by those comments?”
She further alleged that he had proposed the ‘ethnic cleansing‘ of a portion of Gaza’s population to Western countries, referencing an article he had co-authored.
In response, Mr. Danon clarified that he did not discuss ‘ethnic cleansing’ but rather emphasized ‘voluntary immigration.’ He argued that anyone worldwide who chose to relocate voluntarily should have the opportunity to do so. He replied to the host:
“I will not allow it. Ethnic cleansing, that’s a word you used. If you read my article, I spoke about voluntary immigration. Let me remind you. You spoke about ethnic cleansing, I spoke about voluntary immigration. I think anyone in the world who voluntarily wants to move to another country should be eligible to do that.”
The Sky News presenter then drew a comparison, mentioning the ‘voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust, I imagine.’ Mr Danon replied back furiously:
“Shame on you for that comparison. That is a shameful antisemitic equation. I will not allow you to speak about the Holocaust and compare [it] to what’s happening today. This is pure antisemitism what you just said, comparing the Holocaust to what’s happening today in Gaza.”
Netizens started attacking the News channel for apologizing on national television. An X user wrote:
Many people lashed out at the ” Zionist extremist” Danny Dannon. They wrote:
On the other hand, some netizens demanded strict action taken against the host Belle Donati. People accused her of spreading wrong information to the public. Users wrote:
Eylon Levy, the Official Israeli spokesperson also reacted to the comment on X:
Daniel Sugarman, Director of Public Affairs for the Board of Deputies, wrote on X:
According to the Deadline, following the heated exchange between a member of Benjamin Netanyahu‘s Likud party, Danon, and the host Donati, Danon characterized Donati as an “insolent interviewer” and shared a video of the interaction on X.
Sky News immediately went for damage control and issued an on-air apology. Presenter Samuels told:
“In an interview earlier today with Israeli politician Danny Danon, a Sky News presenter made a comparison between Mr Danon’s comments on Israel’s war with Hamas and the treatment of Jewish people in the Holocaust.”
He went on to add:
“Sky News recognized the complete inappropriateness of this comparison and the offensive nature of those comments. Sky News would like to apologize unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr Danon personally for making the comparison.”
The Comcast channel chose not to provide additional comments beyond the statement that was delivered on-air.
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