South African TV host dropped for challenging guest over comparison between Gaza and the Holocaust

Ramphele turned the question round and asked: "Why can't I compare them?

She went on: "It is a holocaust by any definition if you look at the deliberate attack on children, on women, on unarmed citizens, and the starvation, using starvation as a weapon of war. Tell me… how different it is?

"What happened in the Holocaust was a people, the Nazis, who decided that the Jews have to be exterminated. It’s the same thing."

Newell said: “Because they’re different. I’m not saying Gaza isn’t horrific. It is horrific. But comparing them, it almost undermines what the Holocaust was all about…

"They are two completely different issues and I think it’s mischievous of you to bring that up and use it against this. You know it’s provocative.”

After the interview, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) hit out at the SABC saying that by allowing broadcasters to caveat words such as "genocide" with the word "alleged", it was "whitewashing" the situation.

Shortly after the interview was aired, the SABC released the statement: "The [SABC] is aware of the matter relating to the conduct of one of its news presenters in an interview conducted with Dr Mamphela Ramphele.

"As such, SABC News management took immediate action in line with the SABC’s internal processes, and the presenter in question is currently not scheduled.

"[SABC has] established policies to ensure the dissemination of diverse viewpoints aimed at building trust with the public and in ensuring that our content, in all its formats, continues to resonate with the prescripts of our public mandate."

In a statement Tuesday, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) said that Newell’s removal was "an attack on editorial independence".

Defending Newell, the group said that comparing the situation in Gaza with the Holocaust "is an extraordinary and provocative claim".

"The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) Code requires that controversial statements be tested for accuracy and context.

"Ms Newell did exactly that, she challenged the assertion, signposted the existence of opposing views, and sought to inform viewers rather than inflame them.

"That is correct journalistic practice, and punishing her for it amounts to censorship by proxy.”

Dani Dayan, chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and memorial, also condemned the removal of Newell, tweeting: "Instead of standing by journalist Juliet Newell for rejecting a grotesque Holocaust distortion, SABC News removed her from the air.

"Punishing integrity while tolerating falsehood is a moral failure. This is intolerable.”