News Correspondent Apologizes for Staying at Lobbyist's Home

Suleiman Maswadeh, a correspondent for Israel's Channel 13 News, has issued an apology after it was revealed he stayed for two weeks at the Washington D.C. residence of American lobbyist Jay Pootlik. The report, initially published by the newspaper Haaretz, prompted Channel 13 to acknowledge that Maswadeh "erred in judgment." Pootlik is a key figure in the "Qatargate" scandal, a case in which Maswadeh himself previously provided testimony.

In his apology, Maswadeh stated, "I made a mistake, and I want to apologize to the viewers and my colleagues at the news organization. Jay Pootlik has been a personal friend of mine for years. When I arrived in Washington for my journalistic assignment, I stayed for two weeks in an empty apartment he owns, during my initial settling-in period in the city."

Maswadeh further explained, "In hindsight, I understand it was a mistake. As a journalist, my responsibility is not only to maintain professional independence but also to avoid situations that could raise doubts about it. In this case, I did not act as expected, and for that, I regret and apologize. Alongside acknowledging the error, it is important for me to clarify unequivocally: my personal friendship with Pootlik has never influenced my journalistic judgment, my coverage decisions, or my professional work."

He concluded by affirming his commitment to "my clean journalistic work and the way I have operated over the years. My commitment was and remains to the truth."