Al Jazeera suspends 2 reporters over Holocaust video

Qatar-based media network Al Jazeera, in a disciplinary action on Sunday, suspended two reporters for posting a video that claimed the extent of the Holocaust was being misrepresented by Jews.

The network said in a statement that the clip, posted by Al Jazeera's online AJ+ Arabic news platform, claimed "the narrative" that the Nazis killed six million Jews during the second world war was "adopted by the Zionist movement."

The video "contravened its editorial standards", said the network, which is the parent company of aljazeera.com.

However, the content was swiftly deleted from Al Jazeera's web pages and social media accounts.

Yaser Bishr, executive director of Al Jazeera's digital division, said the network "completely disowns the offensive content in question" and would not tolerate such material on any of its platforms.

In an email, Bishr also announced a mandatory bias and sensitivity training programme for the staff, the network reported.

In addition, Dima Khatib, managing director of Al Jazeera, said the video was produced without due oversight.

Khatib further called on all the editors and journalists working with the network to comply with its editorial values.

"Al Jazeera continues to adhere to the journalistic values of honesty, courage, fairness, balance, independence, credibility and diversity," the statement said.

"In addition, the network recognises the diversity in societies with all races, cultures, beliefs and their values and intrinsic individualities," it added.

Al Jazeera also said that it has not shied away from acknowledging and or rectifying mistakes on its editorial content since its inception.