Italian journalist fired after asking EU official if Israel should pay to rebuild Gaza

An Italian journalist said he was dismissed from his news agency after asking the European Commission spokeswoman on 13 October if Israel should pay to rebuild Gaza in the way that the EU asked Russia to rebuild Ukraine. 

Agencia Nova news agency Brussels correspondent Gabriele Nunziati asked spokeswoman Paula Pinho, “You’ve repeatedly said that Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 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 he received multiple calls from Agencia Nova for the next two weeks to discuss the question he had asked. He was dismissed on 27 October. 

The International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists condemned the dismissal and criticised Agenzia Nova for having censored Nunziati. 

The National Federation of the Italian Press said in a statement, “It is unacceptable that a question, no matter how uncomfortable, could cost him his job,” and pledged to help Nunziati with any steps he might take going forward.