Sky News presenter axed after controversial on-air remark sparked major apology

Sky News presenter Belle Donati has been axed after she sparked fury after comparing the Israel-Gaza war to the Holocaust.

Now it has been revealed that the broadcaster opted not to renew her contract and that she'll be sent packing. The controversial comments were made during a conversation with Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, while live on air.

Sky News bosses acted swiftly in issuing a grovelling apology after the scenes were screened back in January. Presenter Jonathan Samuels addressed viewers afterwards, reading: “In an interview earlier today with Israeli politician Danny Danon, a Sky News presenter made a comparison between Mr Danon’s comments on Israel’s war with Hamas and the treatment of Jewish people in the Holocaust.

“Sky News recognized the complete inappropriateness of this comparison and the offensive nature of those comments." He went on to say that the channel "would like to apologize unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr Danon personally for making the comparison".

Since the announcement was made at the start of the year, Donati has not returned to Sky and her Twitter (X) account has remained dormant. She had been branded "antisemitic" during the stormy exchange with Danon, who recently reprised his role at the UN.

Donati originally took issue with an opinion piece Danon had written for New York's Wall Street Journal, arguing: "You suggested the ethnic cleansing of some of Gaza’s population to Western countries that would accept the refugees."

Danon fired back that he would "not allow" her use of the phrase "ethnic cleansing", clarifying that the article had been referring to "voluntary immigration".

Donati responded: “The sort of voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust, I imagine" - and she sparked fury.

“Shame on you for that comparison,” Danon exclaimed, urging her to apologise.

Danon subsequently confirmed publicly on X that he had requested the "immediate termination" of the news anchor's contract.

He attached a copy of his letter to David Rhodes, the executive chairman of Sky News Group, in which he wrote that he was "deeply disturbed by the anti-semitic rhetoric".

"I found it particularly distressing when she audaciously likened the present situation in Gaza to the Holocaust, the largest premeditated mass murder of Jews in history," he continued.

"Such comments were not only profoundly offensive to me but also to the entire global Jewish community."

Danon added that her Twitter feed had exhibited "a discernable bias and clear anti-Israel stance", including numerous posts "expressing opposition to Israel's legitimate defense of its citizens after the tragic events of October 7th".