DayofPal—An Italian journalist says he was dismissed from his job after asking a question about Israel’s potential responsibility for rebuilding Gaza during a European Commission press briefing.
Gabriele Nunziati, the Brussels correspondent for the Italian news agency Agenzia Nova, asked European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho on October 13 whether Israel should pay for the reconstruction of Gaza, comparing it to the EU’s stance that Russia should fund Ukraine’s reconstruction.
“You’ve repeatedly said that Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Nunziati asked. “Do you think Israel should also pay for the reconstruction of Gaza, given that it destroyed much of the Strip and its civilian infrastructure?”
Nunziati said that following the press conference, he received multiple calls from his employer questioning the appropriateness of his remarks. Two weeks later, on October 27, he was informed of his dismissal.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the firing, accusing Agenzia Nova of censorship.
The National Federation of the Italian Press (FNSI) also denounced the move, saying, “It is unacceptable that a question, no matter how uncomfortable, could cost him his job,” and vowed to support Nunziati in any legal or professional steps he might pursue.
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