ABC News was caught red-handed promoting anti-Israel propaganda about fake “occupation forces” leaflets, then quietly scrubbed their article when they couldn’t verify a single word of it.
At a Glance
- ABC News retracted claims that the IDF distributed “harrowing” leaflets in Gaza after failing to verify their authenticity
- The original article referred to the IDF as “occupation forces” – a loaded anti-Israel term later removed without notation
- Two reporters, including Israel correspondent Jordana Miller who has shown bias against Netanyahu, were quietly removed from the byline
- The network issued a correction only after being unable to substantiate the propaganda they initially presented as fact
Fake News Caught in the Act
In a stunning display of journalistic malpractice that has become all too common in mainstream media coverage of Israel, ABC News was forced to retract significant portions of a report claiming the Israel Defense Forces had distributed “harrowing” propaganda leaflets throughout Gaza. The original article not only pushed this unverified claim as fact but went so far as to refer to Israel’s military as “occupation forces” – terminology straight from the Hamas playbook that delegitimizes Israel’s very existence and right to defend itself against terrorism.
And here it is. An @ABC editor's note acknowledges they could not confirm the reports authenticity. pic.twitter.com/Dps5GKRrZM
— Gilead Ini (@GileadIni) March 20, 2025
When questioned about the authenticity of these supposed leaflets – which allegedly urged Gazans to vacate areas while claiming neither the US nor Europe cares about Gaza – ABC couldn’t produce a shred of evidence to support their reporting. Only then did they issue an editor’s note admitting they “has not been able to confirm the authenticity of these leaflets” and acknowledging “The IDF denies dropping these leaflets.” This wasn’t journalism – it was activism masquerading as news, and they got caught.
Reporters Quietly Vanish from the Byline
Perhaps the most telling aspect of this journalistic fiasco was what happened to the article’s bylines. The original piece featured four reporters, but after the retraction, two mysteriously disappeared – including Jordana Miller, ABC’s regular Israel correspondent. Miller’s history of anti-Netanyahu bias, including accusations that Israel’s democratically elected leader has “authoritarian tendencies,” raises serious questions about the objectivity of her reporting on the region. The other removed reporter, Tom Soufi Burridge, primarily covers Ukraine from France, making his involvement in Gaza reporting odd to begin with.
“Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article said that the IDF had dropped leaflets with disturbing messaging. ABC News has not been able to confirm the authenticity of these leaflets. The IDF denies dropping these leaflets.” – Editor’s Note
Isn’t it curious how these supposedly legitimate news organizations seem to require no verification whatsoever when the story makes Israel look bad? But the moment they’re called out on their propaganda, suddenly journalistic standards matter again. If only they’d applied those standards before publishing anti-Israel talking points as established facts.
The Hypocrisy of “Straightforward Journalism”
The timing couldn’t be more ironic. Just days before this embarrassing retraction, ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic had proudly proclaimed the outlet’s commitment to “straightforward journalism.” If by “straightforward” he meant “willing to uncritically amplify anti-Israel propaganda,” then mission accomplished! But for Americans seeking honest reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict, this incident exposes the rot at the core of mainstream media’s Middle East coverage.
“The retraction comes days after ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic said the outlet’s mission was to provide straightforward journalism.” – Almin Karamehmedovic
After the humiliating retraction, ABC News hurriedly re-centered their article on the IDF’s latest movements in Gaza – you know, actual verifiable reporting based on facts rather than propaganda. What’s particularly galling is that they removed the inflammatory term “occupation forces” without any editorial notation whatsoever. If a conservative outlet tried pulling that kind of stealth edit on a discredited story, the media watchdogs would be howling for blood – but for ABC News, it’s just another day of “straightforward journalism.”
