‘How great you are, Hitler,’ posts journalist rehired by the New York Times

The New York Times (NYT)has reinstated a freelancer previously exposed by HonestReporting for his pro-Hitler, pro-terrorist social media posts, the organization revealed over the weekend.

Freelance filmmaker Soliman Hijjy (also spelled Sulaiman Hejji) had been working for the newspaper when HonestReporting made the discovery. The NYT burned bridges with the journalist in 2022 but has decidedly rekindled the connection.

Not only has the NYT reemployed Hijjy, but HonestReporting found that they have worked with at least two other journalists who praised Palestinian terrorists and Adolf Hitler.

Hijjy reappeared in the NYT bylines on October 12, only five days after the massacre that shook Israel. 

Hijjy has been covering the Gaza conflict, the NYT confirmed in a response to HonestReporting. 

“We reviewed problematic social media posts by Mr. Hijjy when they first came to light in 2022 and took a variety of actions to ensure he understood our concerns and could adhere to our standards if he wished to do freelance work for us in the future. Mr. Hijjy followed those steps and has maintained high journalistic standards. He has delivered important and impartial work at great personal risk in Gaza during this conflict.”

Hijjy’s history of antisemitism

In 2012, Hijjy praised Hitler on a Facebook post, writing: “How great you are, Hitler,” while sharing Pro-Hitler memes in several other posts.

In 2018, Hijjy continued his social media praise of the genocidal Nazi leader, writing that he was “in a state of harmony as Hitler was during the Holocaust.” A photo of himself accompanied this post. 

In 2020, the journalist justified war crimes committed against Israeli civilians by Hamas when he described the indiscriminate rocket fire as “resistance.”

Problematic reporting

NYT was one of the many newspapers falsely claiming that Israel was behind the explosion at a hospital in Gaza. Fox News confirmed that Hijjy was one of the professionals involved with the story.

While covering stories on the Hamas conflict, Hijjy has repeatedly failed to describe the October 7 attack as a terrorist attack, instead referring to it as a “Hamas attack,” The Algemeiner reported.  Hijjy has also referred to “the Gaza health ministry,” not to the Hamas-terrorist-controlled Gaza health ministry, like other Times articles have done.

Response to the controversial rehire

"How is it conceivable that only days after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, The New York Times has rehired a journalist who admires Hitler?" HonestReporting editorial director Simon Plosker asked on X. 

"It was previously unacceptable for someone with Solomon Hijjy's views to be working for a supposedly credible news organization, and it is equally if not more unacceptable now. 

"We find it hard to believe that The New York Times would hire someone in New York who has openly praised Hitler. Why is this acceptable in Gaza, especially where such abhorrent views are likely to impact the objectivity of the reporting? In any case, someone who has said he is 'in a state of harmony as Hitler was during the Holocaust' and expressed support for terrorism has long ago crossed a red line. 

"We are demanding that The New York Times does the right thing now and cuts all ties with Soliman Hijjy once and most definitely for all."

"How is it conceivable that only days after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, The New York Times has rehired a journalist who admires Hitler?" asks HonestReporting editorial director @SimonPlosker.  "It was previously unacceptable for someone with Solomon Hijjy's…

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 21, 2023

Jacki Alexander, HonestReporting’s CEO, spoke to The Jerusalem Post about the concerns surrounding the rehire. 

JP: What impact could Hijjy’s rehire have? What message does it send?

Alexander: News coming out of Gaza is already skewed since there is no freedom of the press. All reporting must toe Hamas’ line. By adding the element of extreme antisemitism, Hijjy is given the platform to demonize Israel and claim Israeli atrocities without the benefit of independent verification.

How do you feel about the NYT’s response?

Alexander: It’s worthless. Hijjy didn’t even issue a fake, performative apology, as expected in these situations. The New York Times has just announced to its Jewish readers that Jewish lives do not matter. Someone who has unabashedly announced his appreciation for and alignment with Hitler’s ideology is being invited to report on the world’s only Jewish State.

What responsibilities do you feel the media has in reporting? How are those responsibilities met/not met when journalists share the type of content Hijjy did?

Alexander: The media is the fourth pillar of democracy. Their responsibility is to let the world know what is happening. They have now given a megaphone to someone who believes Jews should be exterminated.

Would you respond to the NYT’s claim that Hijjy has “delivered important and impartial work”?

Alexander: It’s irrelevant. Either we believe that actions have consequences, or we do not. And, what The New York Times is saying about his rehire is, “You can call for the annihilation of a people, and as long as those people are Jews, you will continue to adhere to our standards.”

What do you hope the letters will accomplish? Are there any other actions you plan to take?

Alexander: We are going to get loud. We are going to mobilize against this. We will make sure that every reader of the New York Times is aware of their journalistic ethics, or lack thereof. The world is paying attention; we are going to focus that attention here.

Hijjy must not be allowed to report on the war with Israel. Others who aspire to his role must understand the consequences of overt antisemitism. Students and professionals across America are beginning to learn that their antisemitism has consequences. They are losing their jobs. The world must not allow abject antisemitism to flourish unchecked. We know what happens when it does. In fact, Hijjy celebrates it.