In a stunning display of journalistic misstep, The Washington Post found itself at the center of a heated controversy on Friday after publishing a social media post that appeared to criticize the parents of an Israeli hostage.
The post, which has since been deleted, sparked outrage among Jewish organizations and reignited discussions about media bias in covering the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The controversy erupted when The Post shared a link to an article about Ronen and Orna Neutra, whose son Omer, an IDF soldier, has been held captive by Hamas since the October 7 attack. The accompanying text read: "Omer Neutra has been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. When his parents speak publicly, they don't talk about Israel's assault on Gaza that has killed over 38,000 Palestinians according to local officials. Experts have warned of looming famine."
The backlash was swift and severe. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, didn't hold back in his rebuke: "Are you kidding me, Washington Post? You may have deleted the post, but the thoughtless characterization of Omer Neutra's parents - who have spent the last 287 days not knowing the fate of their son after he was kidnapped by terrorists on Oct 7 - remains in your article."
The American Jewish Committee joined the chorus of criticism, emphasizing the singular focus of the Neutra family: "The parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra have one goal: TRYING TO FREE THEIR SON from Hamas captivity. That's all they need to say."
Recognizing the gravity of their error, The Washington Post quickly deleted the post and issued a statement: "A previous post referencing the below story was unacceptable and did not meet our editorial standards, and The Post has deleted it. The reporter of the story was not involved in crafting the tweet. We have taken the appropriate action regarding this incident."
However, for many, the damage was already done. Critics pointed out that the original post not only seemed to question the moral stance of parents desperately seeking their son's return but also uncritically cited casualty figures from "local officials" in Gaza - a source many consider to be controlled by Hamas.
As the controversy unfolds, The Washington Post faces scrutiny not just for the initial post but for the editorial process that allowed it to be published. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the power of words in shaping public perception and the need for extreme caution when reporting on such sensitive issues.
The Neutra family's ordeal continues, as does the larger hostage crisis stemming from the October 7 attack.
* Israel National News contributed to this article.
