German broadcaster DW issues guidelines requiring employees to accept Israel's 'right to exist': report
After number of Arab staff members were sacked earlier this year over alleged antisemitic remarks, DW's new code of conduct will require employees to recognise Israel.
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Deutsche Welle was forced to reinstate some Arab employees after sacking them earlier this year [Getty]
German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) will require all employees to accept the right of Israel to exist if they want to work at the media outlet.
In its updated code of conduct from the start of September the company must "take action" against people who violate the updated guidelines, which "reject all forms of discrimination including sexism, racism and antisemitism, including rejecting Israel’s right to exist as a state", Haaretz reported.
The updated code of conduct mentions that "due to Germany’s history, we have a special obligation towards Israel", in reference to the Holocaust.
DW in February fired seven Arab staff members following an investigation into alleged antisemitism in the media outlet's Arabic news section.
The broadcaster came under fire from both pro-Palestine activists and free-speech campaigners.
Three of the staff members however have been reinstated following court orders.
Most recently, a Berlin labour court ruled last week that DW was not legally justified in firing Palestinian-Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa over the antisemitism allegations.
There has been controversy in recent years over the definition of antisemitism, with critics of Israel saying it weaponises it to silence any criticism of its continued occupation of Palestinian territory and persecution of Palestinians.
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