German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) said that it is suspending ties with Jordanian television channel Roya TV as it came across anti-Israeli and anti-semitic content and caricatures on its social media page. Deutche Welle said that it had entered into a partnership with Roya TV as it coverall liberal subjects like gender equality.
However, things appear to be different now with Roya TV publishing anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli content, which led to the end of the partnership. DW will now re-evaluate Roya TV and its content before deciding whether to continue with the partnership or end it completely at the earliest.
Severing Ties
On Sunday, Deutsche Welle said that it had entered into a partnership with Roya TV after it believed that the broadcaster addressed broader issues such as gender equality, the rights of minorities in Jordan and promoting literacy among young people. However, it is disappointed with its stance after finding anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic caricatures on its social media platform, which is against policies of Deutsche Welle.
Thus they have decided to suspend ties with the broadcaster. A seniuor official from Deutsche Welle said that the German company will reevaluate its partnership because "several pieces of content disseminated via the broadcaster's social media channels are definitely not consistent with the values of DW."
"We are truly sorry that we did not notice these disgusting images," said Guido Baumhauer, a senior executive of Deutsche Welle.
The company also said that it is strictly against the kind of content being published by Roya TV and vehemently opposes it. Deutsche Welle also said sorry to its subscribers and said that it "regrets its initial assessment that Roya TV is not anti-Israel."
Taking a Safe Stance
Deutsche Welle and Roya TV's are into a partnership wherein both supply journalistic content. Diplomatic relationship between Jordan and Israel has soured over the past few years despite both the countries making peace in 1994. However, over the past few years, the relationship has changed grown over tensions at the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, and Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Deutsche Welle's stance is to not get involved or support any of the parties in this growing tension. Besides suspending partnership with Roya TV, the German company on Friday suspended four employees and one freelancer during an investigation into allegations that they expressed anti-Israel and antisemitic views.
According to German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung the employees were part of Deutsche Welle's Arabic service who had expressed anti-Israel and anti-semitic views, including some that appeared to downplay the Holocaust or perpetuate anti-Jewish stereotypes.
