Sky News presenter axed 7 months after ‘completely inappropriate’ comments

Sky News has ended its contract with presenter Bella Donati just months after bosses were forced to apologise on-air for her comments, it has been reported.

Broadcaster Donati was criticised during a heated debate about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict which has resulted in the death of thousands of Palestinians following the October 7 attacks.

Donati compared former Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon’s comments about the migration of Palestinians from Gaza to the Holocaust.

The broadcaster was forced to apologise on-air, saying: ‘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.

‘Sky News recognises the complete inappropriateness of this comparison and the offensive nature of those comments.

‘Sky News would like to apologise unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr Danon personally for making the comparison.’

Sky released an on-air apology (Picture: Sky News)

During the confrontation, Donati said: ‘You’ve called for a voluntary migration of Palestinians from Gaza.

‘In November you co-authored a piece that appeared in the Wall Street Journal. You suggested the ethnic cleansing of some of Gaza’s population to Western countries that would accept the refugees.

‘The exact quote from that article: “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 statements?’

When Danon defended it as ‘voluntary migration’, Donati added: ‘The sort of voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust, I imagine. It is not voluntary relocation.’

Danon then said ‘shame on you’ for the comparison.

he has had her contract terminated after speaking about the Israel-Gaza conflict (Picture: Sky News)

He added at the time: ‘That is a shameful antisemitic equation. I will not allow you to speak about the Holocaust and compare [that’s] to what’s happening today… Israel will defend ourselves.

‘This is pure antisemitism what you just said, comparing the Holocaust to what’s happening today in Gaza.’

As such Donati will not return to air, per The Sun.

The current war broke out on October 7 when Hamas entered Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 hostages.

Since then Israel has declared war and killed more than 40,000 people in Palestine, the majority being civilians.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made the Labour government’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict clear after he was elected in July.

A spokesperson said: ‘The Prime Minister updated President Abbas on his immediate priorities, including securing a ceasefire, the return of hostages, an increase and acceleration in humanitarian aid and financial support for the Palestinian Authority.

‘Discussing the importance of reform, and ensuring international legitimacy for Palestine, the Prime Minister said that his longstanding policy on recognition to contribute to a peace process had not changed, and it was the undeniable right of Palestinians.’

Sky has not immediately responded to Metro.co.uk’s request for comment.

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