The Intercept: New York Times Exposé Lacks Evidence to Claim Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence Oct. 7

Democracy Now!25 minutes read

The New York Times is investigating leaks related to its coverage of Israel in Gaza, following doubts about the accuracy of a controversial article on Hamas and allegations of credibility issues with key witnesses. Despite criticism and internal disputes, The New York Times defends the accuracy of its reporting and refuses to issue corrections.

Insights

  • The New York Times is conducting an internal investigation to identify the source of leaked information related to its coverage of Israel in Gaza, emphasizing trust and collaboration within the Newsroom.
  • The controversy surrounding the New York Times article on Hamas, including doubts about its accuracy, reliance on questionable sources, and refusal to issue corrections, raises concerns about journalistic integrity and potential conflicts of interest within the reporting process.

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Recent questions

  • What sparked controversy within The New York Times?

    The controversial article on Hamas.

  • Who raised concerns about The New York Times article?

    The Intercept reporters.

  • What did The New York Times refuse to do despite errors?

    Issue corrections.

  • What did Anat Schwarz struggle with in reporting?

    Balancing journalistic integrity and serving agendas.

  • What impact did the article have during its publication?

    Significance during Israel's intensified attack on Gaza.

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Summary

00:00

NY Times internal probe on Gaza coverage

  • The New York Times is conducting an internal investigation to uncover the source of leaked information regarding its coverage of Israel in Gaza.
  • The investigation follows a report by The Intercept about shelving a podcast episode due to doubts about the accuracy of a controversial New York Times article on Hamas.
  • Management at the New York Times has questioned around two dozen staff members, including producers of the podcast, to understand how internal details were leaked.
  • The New York Times declined to comment on the internal investigation, emphasizing the importance of trust and collaboration within their Newsroom.
  • The controversial article alleged Hamas members committed widespread sexual violence, which was later questioned due to discrepancies and lack of solid evidence.
  • One of the authors of the New York Times piece, Anat Schwarz, had liked social media posts advocating violence against Palestinians, raising further concerns.
  • The Intercept published an investigation questioning the New York Times article and the reporting process behind it, highlighting significant issues.
  • The investigation revealed that key witnesses relied upon by the New York Times had credibility problems and promoted false information.
  • Anat Schwarz, a key figure in the reporting, described feeling torn between journalistic integrity and serving the agenda of the Israeli State.
  • Adam Cella, a young reporter involved in the investigation, is related to Anat Schwarz's partner, emphasizing potential conflicts of interest in the reporting process.

16:17

NY Times article controversy sparks critique

  • The New York Times article is criticized for mischaracterizations and reliance on individuals without forensic or criminology credentials.
  • The article was published during Israel's intensified genocidal attack on Gaza, impacting its significance.
  • The New York Times refuses to issue corrections despite documented problematic errors in the article.
  • The Intercept reporters, Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim, expose flaws in the New York Times article and its handling internally.
  • The New York Times defends the accuracy of its reporting, despite criticism and internal disputes.
  • The New York Times faced challenges with their podcast episode based on the controversial article, leading to script revisions.
  • The New York Times launches a leak investigation internally instead of reviewing the journalistic integrity of the article.
  • Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Jeffrey Gettleman's comments on evidence and journalism's role in uncovering it spark controversy and critique.
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