Gretchen Ho addresses criticism over past Israel engagements

Journalist and TV host Gretchen Ho has addressed social media criticism regarding her past professional engagements with the Israeli Embassy. The scrutiny follows a post by human rights advocate Caloy Conde, who questioned the judgment of journalists participating in Israel-sponsored trips, suggesting such junkets could enable propaganda regarding the conflict in Palestine.

Ho clarified that her trip to Israel in July 2022 was an invitation from the Israel Ministry of Tourism intended for her travel documentary program, ‘Woman In Action’. She noted that the trip occurred more than a year before the current war in Gaza began. Ho emphasized that while hosts arranged the itinerary, there were no restrictions on her ability to observe, ask questions, or report on her experiences, stating, “We were not asked to produce any particular narrative or portray Israel in any prescribed way.”