Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Samira Nasr has apologized after receiving backlash for an Instagram post about the current conflict in Israel and Palestine.
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Nasr’s original post referenced the Israeli government cutting off water and electricity to Palestinians amid the war with the Hamas terrorist groups. The now-deleted post reads, “Cutting off water and electricity to 2.2 civilians….This is the most inhumane thing I’ve seen in my life.” Shortly after posting the Instagram story, Nasr faced backlash from her followers and colleagues at Hearst Publications, as the New York Post reported.
Following the backlash, Nasr apologized on Thursday and said, “I want to apologize to my friends, colleagues, and the entire Jewish community for my deeply insensitive and hurtful comments. I have no hate in my heart for any people, and I am not in any way sympathetic to a terrorist group that just murdered thousands of innocent Israeli civilians.” The editor-in-chief continued, “I am a firm believer that words matter, and I was careless with mine. My most sincere apologies.”
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Hearst Magazines president Debi Chirichella emailed employees about Nasr’s Instagram post and said, “A recent social media post about the unfolding situation in the Middle East was made by one of our editors,” the exec wrote. “It expressed views that do not represent Hearst’s values and I know that it offended and upset many of our colleagues, partners, and readers.
The outlet also reported that Hearst will donate $300,000 to three organizations involved in relief efforts for the war. News of the backlash about Nasr’s post sparked questions about freedom of speech within specific industries.
However, some people are also calling for Nasr to be fired over the comments and said her post was anti-Semitic.
Another wrote, “No need to apologize for being dumb and uneducated. You’re no different than any other so-called journalist.”