A court in Australia ruled that Antoinette Lattouf was fired due to her views on Gaza, after sharing a post against Israel, and eligible for compensation.
Antoinette Lattouf, a presenter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, has been reinstated after being sacked for sharing a post accusing Israel of war crimes in Gaza.
The court ruled that she was fired for her views on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Lattouf was fired from her position as a radio presenter at the national broadcaster in December 2023, after sharing on social media a post by Human Rights Watch, which accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza.
Lattouf, a Lebanese-born Canadian, sued the university, claiming that she was fired for her political views, her Lebanese heritage, and pressure from pro-Israeli groups. Judge Daryl Rooke ruled that her dismissal was due to her expression of views on the Gaza operation, but rejected the claims of discrimination on the basis of her heritage.
The judge awarded $70,000 in damages and said a further hearing would be held to determine whether additional damages were warranted. In his opening remarks, he noted that “most covered, contested and controversial news story in the world.”
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation issued an official apology to viewers and listeners, as well as to Latouff. “This was not handled in line with our values and expectations. It has caused concerns to be expressed about the ABC’s independence and integrity, which are critical to the great trust the Australian public places in us.”
