Antoinette Lattouf: ABC star axed after making ‘anti-Israel comments’ hits back at the public broadcaster in seething social media post
Antoinette #Antoinette
A fill-in ABC radio presenter who was axed after a series of pro-Palestine posts on social media has hit back by threatening legal action against the public broadcaster
Antoinette Lattouf had been hosting ABC Sydney mornings this week, filling in for Sarah Macdonald, but was told on Wednesday afternoon she would not be returning to the airwaves.
‘ABC Sydney casual presenter Antoinette Lattouf will not be back on air for her remaining two shifts this week,’ an ABC spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
But late on Wednesday night, Lattouf posted on Instagram that she is ‘very disappointed by the ABC’s decision today.
‘I believe I was terminated unlawfully. This is not a win for journalism or critical, fair thinking. I’m currently considering my legal options,’ she said.
Antoinette Lattouf (pictured) had been hosting ABC Sydney mornings this week but was told on Wednesday afternoon she would not be returning to the airwaves
Late on Wednesday night, Lattouf posted on Instagram that she was ‘very disappointed by the ABC’s decision today. The post is pictured
The outspoken journalist had posted excitedly about filling in for Macdonald on Monday.
She was originally due to present the morning radio show for five days, but will now not be returning to the program on Thursday or Friday.
It’s understood Lattouf’s posts about the conflict in the Middle East, which were on various online platforms, breached the ABC’s social media policies.
The ABC has strict editorial policies and requires staff to be impartial in their reporting.
‘A thoughtless post or tweet can instantly compromise this perception of impartiality,’ the ABC’s rules state.
Lattouf recently co-authored an article questioning the veracity of a viral footage that showed pro-Palestine activists chanting ‘gas the Jews’ at the Sydney Opera House at a protest in October.
‘Analysis of the Aust Jewish Association videos by fact checker RMIT CrossCheck found a number of signs that suggest audio was edited…’ she claimed.
In another post from November Lattouf wrote: ‘We need a PERMANENT ceasefire and to address the ROOT of the problem – unlawful occupation of Palestine.’
In a video posted to Instagram in October, Latouff attempted an analysis of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and called both Hamas and the Israeli government ‘extremists’.
She called for the mourning of all civilian life lost in the conflict and for the condemnation of anti-Arab and anti-Semitic rhetoric, but added: ‘You can and should condemn illegal military occupation of Palestine that’s been happening for 75 years.
‘You can and should remember human rights organisation internationally and in Israel have called the occupation “apartheid”,’ she said.
Lattouf (pictured) who was sacked after a series of pro-Palestine posts on social media has come out fighting and is threatening legal action
The outspoken journalist (pictured) had posted excitedly about filling in for Macdonald on Monday
It’s understood Lattouf’s posts about the conflict in the Middle East, which were on various online platforms, breached the ABC’s social media policies. Lattouf is pictured
‘You can and should speak out against the occupation of Palestine — because that is the root of all of this.’
She wrote that she had turned comments off on the post to ‘limit hate speech’.
But as of late on Wednesday night, the comments were still on her latest Instagram post about ‘very disappointed by the ABC’s decision’ and considering legal action.
Lattouf, who is a mother-of-two, is also the co-founder of Media Diversity Australia – a not for profit organisation that supports increasing cultural and linguistic diversity in the media.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lattouf for further comment.
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