For the first time in fifty years, Hebrew language broadcasts have been terminated on the Australian state broadcasting network SBS, after presenter Amit Rehak resigned because of the network’s censorship of pro-Israeli content regarding the war in Gaza.
"They removed content without consulting with me. After working there for twelve years, I was shocked," said Rehak in an interview with the "International Hour" on Kan Reshet Bet.
According to Rehak, the management censored an interview with Richard Kemp, a senior British army officer who analyzed the IDF's activities in Gaza and claimed that the army does its utmost to prevent civilian harm, but also called Hamas members "terrorists.”
"Network broadcasters are committed to objectivity and that's perfectly fine, but interviewees are free express their opinions," Rehak emphasized. Also, an interview with pro-Israeli activist from Germany, Oriana Marie Gruger, who claimed that "Israel is being demonized," was censored.
"This went on for several weeks," Rehak said. "I told them, 'Guys, I can't work like this.' If you carry on treating the Jewish community in Australia this way and censor every second sentence I say about the war in Israel, I'm leaving."
Rehak's program has been replaced with a program of English music, ending a fifty-year tradition of broadcasting in Hebrew at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).