(José Niño, Headline USA) Leaked emails reveal prominent journalists David Frum and Douglas Murray drafted speeches for Israeli UN Ambassador Ron Prosor during the devastating 2014 Gaza war, raising serious questions about journalistic integrity and undisclosed conflicts of interest.
According to a report by Drop Site News, David Frum, senior editor at The Atlantic and former George W. Bush speechwriter, began his editorial role at the magazine in March 2014. Just four months later, as Israeli forces launched Operation Protective Edge against Gaza’s Palestinian population, Frum was secretly helping Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor craft speeches for international audiences.
The leaked correspondence shows that on July 31, 2014, at the height of the Israeli military offensive that would ultimately kill over 2,200 Palestinians including 551 children, Frum sent Prosor a draft speech.
Drop Site News noted that In his message entitled “an earlier draft of that speech I sent you,” Frum wrote, “This version was drafted by Seth Mandel of Commentary, with whom I’ve been working. The top half is identical to what you read previously. The bottom half is much less pointed about US policy. Is this more in line with your thinking?”
The proposed speech contained dramatic language comparing Israel’s military campaign against Gaza’s captive population to “the most tenacious challenge to the free world in decades,” while invoking “the free world’s defeat of the Nazi war machine.”
Just one day before providing speechwriting services, Frum had contacted Prosor from a different email address in his capacity as a journalist, asking to “interview you for short profile in Atlantic about what it’s like to be Israeli ambassador at UN?” This dual role materialized in September 2014 when The Atlantic published Frum’s profile of Prosor, praising the diplomat’s “toughness” and effective advocacy during the war.
As Drop Site News reported, Douglas Murray, associate editor at The Spectator magazine, simultaneously offered his own speechwriting services to Prosor. In a July 31, 2014 message simply titled “Draft,” Murray wrote, “Dear Ron, Very good to speak earlier. I am pasting in here my first draft ideas. It’s probably slightly long. And it’s possible I have put in some more diplomatic things than needed… But I think I have got in all the points discussed.”
Murray’s proposed speech included phrases like “We Israelis have learnt to live with the realities around us. We know who we are” and criticism of “outrageous and racist efforts to boycott Israeli products.” He concluded by offering continued assistance, writing “I will give all the time I can to helping to get it right.”
The British journalist went beyond speechwriting. In November 2014, Murray informed Prosor that he had successfully raised over one million pounds for The Association for the Wellbeing of Israeli Soldiers, an organization created to provide funds “directly to [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers and IDF units.” Murray expressed his enthusiasm, telling Prosor that “the soldiers were superb” and offering to “always call if I can ever do anything to help.”
The leaked emails also reveal CNN producer Pamela Gross actively soliciting guidance from Prosor on how to privately fundraise for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. On July 10, 2014, Gross wrote to Prosor, “Dear Ambassador – It was so wonderful to see you this 4th of July. Thank you for joining us. Clearly Iron Dome is doing the trick and saving lives. Please dear friend – let’s get it finished. Please let me know what is still left to be done at your soonest convenience.”
Prosor responded warmly, thanking Gross and her husband Jimmy Finkelstein, owner of The Hill publication, for a “magical evening” and calling them “true assets to the state of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Gross, who was then a producer for “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon,” followed up asking for specific fundraising guidance, writing “I have not begun any fundraising on the Iron Dome yet but am anxious to move forward. I need to gather information and so hoped you could help me.” She requested information on funding needs and asked to be connected with appropriate Israeli officials to facilitate her fundraising efforts.
Neither Frum, Murray, nor their respective publications responded to requests for comment about these undisclosed relationships with Israeli officials during their professional coverage of Middle East affairs.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
