LONDON: US-based pro-Israeli group SKDK has been targeting Washington Post’s foreign correspondent Louisa Loveluck over her coverage of the Gaza conflict, news outlet Semafor reported on Sunday.
SKDK, a Washington DC public relations firm with close ties to the White House, is managing the communications of the 10/7 Project, an initiative established last year to advocate for continued US support for Israel and counter misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war.
In their critique of American news outlets’ reporting on the Gaza conflict, particularly the Washington Post, Semafor said SKDK had been working both publicly and behind the scenes to discredit specific journalists whom they perceive as biased against Israel, particularly those they believe are tweeting and reporting unfairly about the situation.
Loveluck, who has been covering the war in Gaza, emphasizing the plight of Palestinian civilians, has emerged as a primary target of the 10/7 Project.
The group sent Semafor a one-five page document detailing a list of Loveluck’s tweets and coverage on Gaza, accusing her of biased and mischaracterized reporting.
They also delved into her past as a college student in 2009, characterizing her online presence as that of a far-left activist, citing her negative opinions about pro-Israel American leaders, support for Al-Jazeera TV, and participation in the 2010 Cambridge University occupation protesting tuition fee hikes.
“For many years, Loveluck’s online presence was that of a far-left activist: she has voiced negative opinions about pro-Israel American leaders and Israeli leadership,” the group wrote in a memo.
The 10/7 Project presented tweets from 2011 where Loveluck expressed anger at former President George W. Bush’s memoir and criticized former President Barack Obama’s silence in Egypt’s post-Arab Spring elections.
SKDK also presented numerous tweets of her criticizing Israel and noted that only a few expressed sympathy toward the hostages or mentioned Hamas.
The group claimed that “Loveluck’s poorly reported articles did not meet Washington Post’s standards” and asserted their responsibility to spotlight unfair coverage, demanding unbiased, honest reporting from leading American media outlets.
In response, the Washington Post defended its reporting but did not specifically address Loveluck’s tweets.
The publication highlighted its consistent explanatory reporting on data sources for the Israel/Gaza conflict, citing examinations of the Gaza Health Ministry and explanations that it is an agency of Gaza’s elected government, run by Hamas.
“The Washington Post produces rigorous, in-depth journalism, and we expect and welcome scrutiny of our reporting,” a spokesperson said.
“When we make errors, we take every step to correct them and to provide full transparency to our readers. The Post expects our journalists to refrain from social media postings that could raise questions about our fairness or independence. We also prioritize the security of our employees, and we cannot condone any efforts that could endanger or jeopardize their safety.”
