Where Is Sangita Myska? British Journalist's Disappearance from Network Raises Fears She's Latest Victim of 'GazaWashing' - Retaliation Against Reporters Holding Israel Accountable For Gaza Atrocities
It is speculated that Myska was taken off air due to direct questioning of an Israeli Government Spokesperson about the retaliatory strike on Iran
There's growing speculation over the potential removal of highly respected South Asian British Radio journalist Sangita Myska over her "fearless" stance in holding Israeli officials accountable for their actions in Gaza.
Myska was taken off-air from her network LBC Show soon after her latest direct questioning of an Israeli representative over the retaliatory strike it took on Iran after Israeli forces violated international law by attacking the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month.
“Now we all know that the way that diplomacy works is consulates and embassies are considered sovereign territory of the government … what Israel did by taking that action against Iran (escalated) an incredibly fragile situation,” said Myska to Israeli Government spokesperson, Avi Hyman in a live interview on LBC earlier this month.
Renowned for her professional and meticulous journalism, the presenter has long been recognized as a cornerstone of LBC's programming.
During a recent interview, she confronted Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, urging him to apologize for the deaths of aid workers purportedly killed in a "mistake" by the Israeli army. Lerner refused, asserting, "Like in every war since the dawn of war, civilians are caught up in it."
In October, Lerner told Myska that Israel doesn't bear any "obligation" toward Gaza. Over 33,137 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 203 aid workers, and 75,815 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. Most of the dead are women and children.
In February this year, Myska created a viral moment when she expressed "shock" at the remarks of a listener who called in to her hit LBC Radio show. 'James' stated that Israel would conclude the war "at any cost" and that "the harder, the better."
She also challenged UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak regarding his stance on Gaza. She highlighted his focus on strikes in Yemen and the free flow of trade, contrasting it with the lack of support for Palestinians in Gaza. “Mr. Sunak, if you believe in the free flow of trade, why don’t you support the free flow of aid to Palestinians in Gaza?” she questioned.
Is This A Pattern of #GazaWashing?
Calum Steele, former general secretary of The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), commented on the abrupt absence of the radio presenter on X, “One of the main reasons for listening to @LBC on the weekend is the brilliant @SangitaMyska. I don’t recall her mentioning she was taking a break and would have a guest presenter filling in for her, yet (as the saying goes) there she was - gone!”
Journalist Charlie Herbert expressed his dismay, stating that if the rumors of her dismissal are true, it's "disgraceful." He wrote on X, "It's looking increasingly likely that the fearless @SangitaMyska has been removed from air by @LBC. More #GazaWashing, I wonder? She's been one of the very few media presenters who has critically questioned Israel's conduct in Gaza."
While LBC has yet to provide any confirmation regarding Myska's sudden absence from her show, a petition has been launched on change.org calling for her reinstatement at LBC. The petition has already garnered over 1500 signatures.
Just like Myska, Belle Donati, a news anchor for Sky News, has also not appeared on the network since her interview with right-wing Israeli politician and former diplomat, Danny Danon, who repeatedly berated her for using the phrase “ethnic cleansing” in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.
Danon demanded her resignation, claiming she "crossed the line." Sky News was quick to issue an apology calling out the complete inappropriateness of the interview conducted.
“Sky News would like to apologize unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr. Danon personally for making the comparison,” the statement read.
The fears of 'GazaWashing' were first sparked when MSNBC appeared to suspend three of its star Muslim anchors last year simultaneously —Mehdi Hasan, Ayman Mohieddine, and Ali Velshi—triggering a debate about media ethics and religious identity during the initial period of escalating tensions in Gaza.
Despite the network's denial of targeting or sidelining these journalists, stating that the changes in the anchor lineup were coincidental, two sources closely associated with MSNBC confirmed the suspension, leading to concerns about religious discrimination in the media.
Highly respected journalist Hasan has long been an outspoken critic of Israel's military actions and "apartheid" policies against Palestinians. As an ethnic and religious minority commentator, his courageous opposition to U.S. Middle East wars, distinguished him in a media landscape often criticized for its jingoism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian stance.
After the network pulled the plug on his show, he chose to leave MSNBC and has since launched his own independent digital media network called 'Zeteo.'
Media Study Reveals Distinct Inclination Towards Israeli Perspectives Over Those of Palestinians
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) also faced accusations that it retaliated against journalist Antoinette Lattouf.
She initiated legal action in January when she was terminated shortly after sharing a post implicating the Israeli government in "using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza."
In another instance, there was outrage when it came to light that a pro-Israel PR group, with connections to the Democrats and President Biden, had allegedly spearheaded a smear campaign against the Washington Post's former Baghdad bureau chief, Louisa Loveluck, for not adhering to Israeli government talking points used to justify the continuous bombing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Two Canadian Muslim reporters have spoken out about retaliation against them for conduct outside of work. Palestinian journalist Yara Jamal disclosed being terminated from CTV News channel after commenting on Palestine and Zionism during a protest. Similarly, journalist Zahraa Al Akhrass recently revealed being fired from Global News, a Canadian TV channel, for similar reasons.
A recent examination scrutinized more than 1000 accounts of the Gaza War sourced from leading American newspapers including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times with findings underscoring a marked contrast in the portrayal of Israelis and supporters of Israel versus Palestinians and proponents of Palestine, revealing a distinct inclination towards Israeli perspectives over those of Palestinians.
