Grace Tame apologizes for calling Hamas sexual violence claims 'propaganda' during 7 October 2023 attacks
Consensus Summary
Grace Tame issued an apology in late 2023 or early 2024 for calling reports of sexual violence against Israeli women during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks 'propaganda' and 'debunked'. The apology followed criticism after her March 2023 ABC interview, where she dismissed mass rape claims but affirmed belief in individual survivors. Human Rights Watch had previously found no evidence of mass rape, though the UN’s 2024 report identified reasonable grounds for sexual violence during the attacks. Tame’s comments sparked 145 complaints to the ABC Ombudsman, and she faced backlash from Jewish groups and the Israeli embassy. While she clarified her stance, critics argued her apology was insufficient, and the controversy extended to her use of the phrase 'globalise the intifada' at protests.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Grace Tame apologized in an Instagram video on 7 October 2023-related comments, clarifying she stands with survivors of sexual violence
- Tame’s controversial comments were made during an ABC interview in March 2023 about Israel and Gaza
- Tame referenced Human Rights Watch’s inability to find evidence of mass rape of Israeli women on 7 October 2023
- The United Nations’ special envoy on sexual violence in conflict concluded in 2024 there were 'reasonable grounds' to believe sexual assaults, including rape and gang-rape, occurred during the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas
- Tame’s ABC interview drew 145 complaints to the ABC Ombudsman’s office, with a further 4 complaints on distinct but similar matters
- Tame said in her apology: 'I believe Israeli survivors, I believe Jewish survivors, as I believe all survivors'
- Tame’s original comments included: 'I’m not going to sink to the level of entertaining any kind of propaganda' and 'those things have been debunked'
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lynda Ben-Menashe, president of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia, called Tame’s apology insufficient, stating it 'added insult to their injury' and 'fanned the flames of incitement against all Jewish women'
- The Israeli embassy in Canberra accused Tame of losing her 'moral compass' via social media
- The ABC Ombudsman’s office received 145 complaints after Tame’s interview, with 4 additional complaints on related matters
- The controversy dates back to an ABC Radio Sydney interview in March, where Tame was questioned about her participation in a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog
- The ABC Ombudsman’s office found the interview did not breach editorial standards and met 'the standards for ensuring accuracy in live radio interviews'
- Tame was criticized for leading intifada chants at a Sydney protest, with the NSW premier considering outlawing the phrase under hate speech laws
- Tame explained she understood 'globalise the intifada' to mean 'a call for widespread resistance' against Israel’s actions
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian and ABC mention 145 complaints to the ABC Ombudsman, but 7News does not reference this number
- The Guardian and ABC state the UN’s 2024 report found 'reasonable grounds' for sexual violence claims, but 7News does not mention this detail
- The Guardian and ABC explicitly state Tame’s apology was issued in an Instagram video, but 7News does not specify the platform
Source Articles
Grace Tame apologises for comments labelling rape of Israeli women during Hamas attacks ‘propaganda’
The former Australian of the Year said she stood with survivors of sexual violence ‘everywhere’ and ‘no matter who they are’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Grace Tame has apologised for her comments labelling the rape of Israeli women by Hamas during the 7 October attacks as “propaganda” and “debunked”, saying her words were “misinterpreted”. The former Australian of the Year issued the apology in an Instagram video on Thursday. The comments were made in an ABC inte
Grace Tame apologises for October 7 rape ‘propaganda’ comments almost six months after ABC interview
Grace Tame has apologised almost six months after dismissing reports of Hamas sexual violence against Israeli women during the October 7 attacks as ‘propaganda’, claiming they had been ‘debunked’.
'I believe Israeli survivors': Grace Tame clarifies October 7 attack comments
Grace Tame faced criticism after a March ABC Radio Sydney interview in which she likened reports of mass sexual assault during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, to "propaganda".
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