Royal Television Society ‘reviewing processes’ after Hezbollah supporter makes awards shortlist
Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary nominated for 'emerging young talent of the year'
The Royal Television Society is “reviewing its criteria and processes” after honouring a Hezbollah supporter.
Palestinian journalist Hind Khoudary, who covers the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza for Qatari-owned Al Jazeera English, was one of three people shortlisted by RTS for its Emerging Young Talent award.
A writer for ‘Electronic Intifada’, former researcher at Amnesty International and former news correspondent at Kuwait TV, in Janaury 2022 Khoudary tweeted support for terrorist mass murderer Nasser Abu Hamid, founder of Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
Hamid participated in the lynching of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah in 2000 and was sentenced by an Israeli court to seven life sentences and 50 additional years’ imprisonment.
Also convicted of 12 counts of attempted murder, he died in prison from cancer in December 2022, 11 months after Khoudary’s post.
Khoudary has also used her platforms to support anti-Israel university encampments and mocked the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza, responding to concern for their welfare with the comment: “bla bla bla bla bla.”
As revealed by investigative reporter David Collier, Khoudary retweeted posts in support of former Hezbollah terror leader Hassan Nasrallah as well as posting support for ‘martyred’ members of Islamic Jihad.
She has also posted content referring to Israel’s “war crimes” and “massacres” in Gaza and approved a post illustrated with machine guns that supports armed resistance.
Khoudary de-activated and then re-joined the Twitter/X platform, admitting that much of her old content was “lost…..forever.”
A spokesperson for the Royal Television Society told Jewish News: “The RTS is looking into what happened in this case and is reviewing its criteria and processes.”
The RTS award was one of four this year that focused on Gaza, including Camera Person of the Year, won by Mohammed Abu Safia for ITV News.
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