News Correspondent Apologizes for Staying at Lobbyist's Home

News 13 correspondent in the US, Suliman Maswadeh, has issued a public apology after it was revealed he stayed for two weeks in an apartment owned by American lobbyist Jay Putlik. Putlik is a central figure in the Qatargate affair. Maswadeh admitted in a statement on X that he made a mistake in judgment by staying at Putlik's residence during his initial two-week settling-in period in Washington D.C. He emphasized, however, that his personal friendship with Putlik, which spans years, did not influence his professional judgment or journalistic decisions at any point.

Maswadeh acknowledged that even if a personal connection doesn't actually affect a journalist's work, the mere appearance of a situation that could raise doubts about professional independence requires caution. "In hindsight, I understand this 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," he explained. He stressed that his personal friendship with Putlik never impacted his journalistic judgment, reporting decisions, or professional work.

The apology follows a report in the Haaretz newspaper, which stated Maswadeh resided in Putlik's property in Virginia last month. Putlik is an American lobbyist who promotes Qatar's interests, and his name has been linked to the Qatargate investigation. The property where Maswadeh stayed is registered under Putlik's name. The address has also appeared in documents related to Putlik's lobbying firm, Third Circle, and in contracts with the Qatari embassy in Washington.

News 13 confirmed Maswadeh's stay in the apartment prior to his apology, stating that it was a long-standing personal friendship and that the accommodation was not related to his professional work. The network acknowledged that the stay was an error in judgment but affirmed their full support for Maswadeh and his professional work, noting he never covered Putlik, his business, or his clients, nor did he broadcast information from him.