Haaretz disavows own publisher for calling Palestinians 'freedom fighters'

Israeli newspaper Haaretz issued an editorial on Monday disavowing its own publisher after he referred to Palestinians as "freedom fighters".

Amos Schocken was speaking at a conference in London last month when he made the comments, which provoked an outcry and calls from government ministers to clamp down on the Israeli outlet's activities.

"The Netanyahu government doesn't care about imposing a cruel apartheid regime on the Palestinian population," he told attendees.

"It dismisses the costs of both sides for defending the settlements while fighting the Palestinian freedom fighters, that Israel calls terrorists."

Although he later clarified his remarks to emphasise that he did not consider Hamas specifically to be freedom fighters, his comments have sparked a controversy at the Israeli media outlet.

Read more: Haaretz disavows own publisher for calling Palestinians 'freedom fighters'