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Telegraph and Politico owner says journalists must support Israel or resign
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<span class="field field-title">Telegraph and Politico owner says journalists must support Israel or resign</span>
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<div class="field field-field-text"><p data-end="853" data-start="626">The owner of the Telegraph and <a href="https://www.politico.com/" target="_blank">Politico</a> has said the outlets' journalists must back <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel </a>or resign, prompting accusations that the newsroom’s independence is under threat.</p>
<p data-end="853" data-start="626">Tensions inside Politico were laid bare this week after Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner told staff that backing Israel forms a core value of working at the outlet. Axel Springer acquired the political news site in 2021.</p>
<p data-end="1208" data-start="855">The remarks came during a tense internal meeting on Monday, convened after Politico journalists sent a letter to incoming editor-in-chief Jonathan Greenberger accusing the media mogul Dopfner of using the publication “to promote his political agenda”.</p>
<p data-end="1208" data-start="855">Staff warned that his recent opinion pieces “risk undermining” the outlet’s “reputation as an impartial news source”, the Jewish Insider reported.</p>
<p data-end="1208" data-start="855">The controversy deepens scrutiny of Axel Springer’s expanding media empire, particularly after it secured approval earlier this month to acquire the Daily Telegraph.</p>
<p data-end="1504" data-start="1210">Journalists fear the ideological direction set at the top could reshape editorial lines across its titles, skewing coverage of Israel, which faces a case at the <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/gaza-genocide-strongest-case-world-court-william-schabas-expert-witness" target="_blank">International Court of Justice</a> over the Gaza genocide that has killed at least 72,599 people and left more than 172,411 wounded.</p>
<h3>Read more: <a aria-label="Telegraph and Politico owner says journalists must support Israel or resign" href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/telegraph-and-politico-owner-says-journalists-must-support-israel-or-resign">Telegraph and Politico owner says journalists must support Israel or resign</a></h3>
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