Erin Molan Stellar magazine cover sparks furious backlash over her views about Israel's war in Gaza: 'Never reading this publication again'
This weekend's edition of Stellar, which is published in News Corp's Sunday newspapers, is being promoted on Instagram and some readers are furious that Molan appears on the front.
The former Sky News Australia host has publicly condemned Hamas since its raids on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023, and in recent months has been reporting from Israel on the Middle East war.
While some fans - including model and influencer Bec Judd - were quick to congratulate Molan on taking out the cover position, others could not see past her pro-Israel views.
'No thanks Stella... No one I would support,' wrote one. 'So tone deaf,' said another.
A third posted: 'Free Palestine ps never reading this publication again.'
Several other users threatened to boycott Stellar. Some of the comments are too inflammatory to publish.
The Times of Israel ran a profile piece on Molan in May under the headline 'Erin Molan vs. the world: From Australian news anchor to pro-Israel firebrand.'
'Molan has found herself increasingly recognized in Israel, where people on the street often flock to her, eager to thank her for her support,' it reported.
The story quoted Molan, who is Catholic, describing her reaction to the October 7 outrages.
'It was never complex to me or grey or fuzzy,' she said. 'It was black and white as to who evil was in this scenario.'
Molan has maintained that stance amid Israel's retaliation and the ongoing human crisis in Gaza.
Former Sky News Australia colleague Sharri Markson moved quickly last year to quash a conspiracy theory that Molan had been sacked from the network for her pro-Israel views.
In December, Markson wished Molan her well in her future pursuits and wrote on X that it was 'categorically untrue' the 41-year-old had been booted off Sky 'because of her Zionism'.
in their reporting of the onetime Footy Show presenter's removal by Sky.
Daily newspaper Israel Hayom referred to Molan's response to the October 7 massacre in which more than 1,200 Israelis - mostly citizens - were killed and 254 taken hostage.
'Molan has been a vocal supporter of Israel on her Sky News Australia program,' the newspaper stated.
'Strongly condemning both Hamas' actions against Israeli civilians and the pro-Hamas demonstrations that have erupted worldwide, repeatedly using her platform to address the ongoing war.'
Israel National News covered the presenter's axing under the headline: 'Sky News Australia fires pro-Israel host Erin Molan.'
'Australian news anchor Erin Molan, who repeatedly defended Israel in the year since the October 7 massacre, has been fired by Sky News Australia,' its story began.
Molan posted an impassioned nine-minute video to X in December, repeatedly mentioning the Middle East conflict and thanking everyone who had supported her.
'So that's done now,' she said of her Sky job. 'But I am not. In fact, I'm just getting started.
'So I'm sorry to those who had hoped otherwise. I'm somewhat surprisingly much harder to kill off than you'd think.
'You see the problem is - and it's always been this way with me - I just care too much.
'About you, about the world, about a peaceful existence for every single child.'
Molan has called Hamas terrorists 'blood-thirsty killers' and said she would continue 'fighting for every single hostage still captive in Gaza'.
Markson's post on X came shortly after Molan's video went live. 'I have to clear up this notion that her departure from Sky is because of her Zionism - this is categorically untrue,' she said.
'No media outlet globally has shown more leadership or clarity on Israel's fight against terrorism and our own battle against antisemitism than us at Sky News Australia and News Corp.'
Although network insiders suggested Molan was caught off-guard by the decision to cancel her show, Sky insisted they had ended their partnership with the host on amicable terms.
Molan presented her weekly news program, Erin, for the final time on November 29.
The decision to cancel Molan's show comes just months after the breakfast radio program she co-hosted alongside comedians Dave Hughes and Ed Kavalee was scrapped by Southern Cross Austereo's struggling 2DayFM station in August.
The cancellation of Molan's two key hosting roles is understood to have come at a significant financial cost to the journalist.
Sources said she had been pulling in about $200,000 a year for her 2DayFM radio gig and a further $150,000 a year from her job with Sky.
Molan joined Sky News Australia in July 2022 after parting ways with Nine after 11 years at the network.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The tree war on millionaires' row: Rose Bay locals blindsided by council decision that could affect house prices. LUCY MANLY reveals why it's happening - and which suburbs are next: 'Disgraceful'
For weeks, I've been hearing whispers of a scandal in Sydney 's most elite enclaves. No, Kristin Fisher and Dina Broadhurst haven't fallen out again.
Western Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state
The Government last week said it will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including a ceasefire and a revival of the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must release the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and play no role in the government of Gaza. The Government will then make an assessment in September 'on how far the parties have met these steps', the Prime Minister said. During a visit to a farm in Little Walden, Essex, on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said she would never agree to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. She said: 'Absolutely not. No. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We should not be creating a new terrorist state. 'This is basic stuff, and I don't understand why Keir Starmer doesn't understand that.' The Tory leader added: 'Keir Starmer has made a mistake. What we need to focus on now is a ceasefire and getting the hostages home. 'We've been seeing images of a hostage who looks like he's being starved to death, forced to dig his own grave. This is what Hamas is about. 'Now is not the time to reward them for their atrocities and for the massacre they committed on October 7 by giving them statehood recognition. 'We want to see a two-state solution after a peace settlement done in the right way at the right time. It is not the right thing to do now. 'And I'm not surprised that British hostages like Emily Damari have condemned the Government for the approach they've taken.' Ms Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, has said she believes Sir Keir is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his conditional pledge to recognise Palestine. Mrs Badenoch's comments came as it was announced a protest will take place in London this weekend opposing Sir Keir's plans to recognise Palestine as a state. Demonstrators, including some British family members of hostages still held by Hamas, will march on Downing Street calling for the release of the remaining hostages before any talk about the recognition of Palestine. Marchers will include the relatives of Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. Mr Or's cousin Ariel Felber, from London, said: 'Keir Starmer has failed the hostages and their families by not making it a condition that all the remaining hostages are brought home to their loved ones before he can even entertain talk of state recognition of Palestine. 'He urgently needs to correct this.' Steve Brisley from Bridgend, Wales, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7 and his brother-in-law Eli taken hostage, said: 'As British families of hostages and victims, devastated by the ongoing suffering of our loved ones, our emotional torture has been exacerbated by the suggestion that the UK may recognise a Palestinian state without securing the release of the hostages as an absolute precondition. 'This is not about politics. This is about basic humanity.' The family members are expected to be joined by Jewish leaders and other supporters on their National March For The Hostages through central London on Sunday afternoon. Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli ambassador to the UK, said on X that Hamas's actions 'must never be rewarded' as she highlighted the plight of one of the hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David. Hamas released a video on Saturday which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. Ms Hotovely said: 'He is clearly malnourished and ill-treated. A shadow of his former self, his suffering is unimaginable. 'Like countless others who saw it, I was appalled by the sickening footage of Evyatar being forced to dig his own grave. 'This abhorrent footage shows Hamas for what they are – wicked terrorists who seek to inflict as much death, destruction and suffering on as many Jews and Israelis as they can. Their actions must never be rewarded.'
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state
The Government last week said it will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including a ceasefire and a revival of the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must release the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and play no role in the government of Gaza. The Government will then make an assessment in September 'on how far the parties have met these steps', the Prime Minister said. During a visit to a farm in Little Walden, Essex, on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said she would never agree to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. She said: 'Absolutely not. No. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We should not be creating a new terrorist state. 'This is basic stuff, and I don't understand why Keir Starmer doesn't understand that.' The Tory leader added: 'Keir Starmer has made a mistake. What we need to focus on now is a ceasefire and getting the hostages home. 'We've been seeing images of a hostage who looks like he's being starved to death, forced to dig his own grave. This is what Hamas is about. 'Now is not the time to reward them for their atrocities and for the massacre they committed on October 7 by giving them statehood recognition. 'We want to see a two-state solution after a peace settlement done in the right way at the right time. It is not the right thing to do now. 'And I'm not surprised that British hostages like Emily Damari have condemned the Government for the approach they've taken.' Ms Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, has said she believes Sir Keir is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his conditional pledge to recognise Palestine. Mrs Badenoch's comments came as it was announced a protest will take place in London this weekend opposing Sir Keir's plans to recognise Palestine as a state. Demonstrators, including some British family members of hostages still held by Hamas, will march on Downing Street calling for the release of the remaining hostages before any talk about the recognition of Palestine. Marchers will include the relatives of Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. Mr Or's cousin Ariel Felber, from London, said: 'Keir Starmer has failed the hostages and their families by not making it a condition that all the remaining hostages are brought home to their loved ones before he can even entertain talk of state recognition of Palestine. 'He urgently needs to correct this.' Steve Brisley from Bridgend, Wales, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7 and his brother-in-law Eli taken hostage, said: 'As British families of hostages and victims, devastated by the ongoing suffering of our loved ones, our emotional torture has been exacerbated by the suggestion that the UK may recognise a Palestinian state without securing the release of the hostages as an absolute precondition. 'This is not about politics. This is about basic humanity.' The family members are expected to be joined by Jewish leaders and other supporters on their National March For The Hostages through central London on Sunday afternoon. Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli ambassador to the UK, said on X that Hamas's actions 'must never be rewarded' as she highlighted the plight of one of the hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David. Hamas released a video on Saturday which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. Ms Hotovely said: 'He is clearly malnourished and ill-treated. A shadow of his former self, his suffering is unimaginable. 'Like countless others who saw it, I was appalled by the sickening footage of Evyatar being forced to dig his own grave. 'This abhorrent footage shows Hamas for what they are – wicked terrorists who seek to inflict as much death, destruction and suffering on as many Jews and Israelis as they can. Their actions must never be rewarded.'
