“Israel is an apartheid state, designed to privilege Jewish citizens at the expense of Palestinians, without regard for the many Jews, both in Israel and throughout the diaspora, who oppose their own recruitment into an ethno-nationalist project. “the statement reads. which specifically criticized a New York Times editorial that offered qualified support for Israeli retaliatory strikes while imploring the country to protect Palestinian civilians.
“While I respect that she has strong beliefs, this was a clear violation of The Times’ policy on public protests,” the magazine’s editor Jake Silverstein wrote in an email to staff Friday afternoon. “This policy, which I fully support, is an important part of our commitment to independence.”
Silverstein said Hughes also violated policy earlier this year, when he signed an open letter protesting the Times’ coverage of transgender issues. “She and I discussed that her desire to hold this type of public position and join public protests is not compatible with being a journalist at The Times, and we both concluded that she should resign,” she wrote in the email. electronic.
Hughes did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday morning. The Times declined to comment beyond Silverstein’s email.
Hughes has won a number of accolades while working as a writer and editor at the Times, including a National Magazine Award in March for profiles of Viola Davis and Whoopi Goldberg. Forbes named her one of its “30 Under 30” top journalists several years earlier, in part for her work to help diversify its newsroom.
He was prominently involved in criticism of his newspaper’s op-ed writing in 2020, after it published a column by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) urging the military to enter American cities. The newspaper later said that column did not meet its standards, and the incident helped oust editorial page editor James Bennet from the company.
The war between Israel and Gaza has forced many institutions to confront members who feel strongly about the conflict, which involves a long history of Israeli occupation and deadly military retaliation in Palestinian territory.
Journalists from several media outlets have resigned or been fired in connection with reporting and commentary on the war between Israel and Gaza.
David Velasco was removed as editor-in-chief of Artforum after the arts publication published an open letter supporting Palestinian liberation and calling for a ceasefire. The letter caused several employees to resign in protest, Vanity Fair reported.
Two BBC reporters resigned last month over disagreements with their war coverage. Noah Abrahams resigned after the network did not label Hamas a terrorist organization. And Bassam Bounenni resigned from his position as correspondent in North Africa, “as my professional conscience demands,” he said in X. formerly Twitter.
