A TV news anchor has been fired after she was caught up in a major on-air blunder that left viewers furious.
Meltem Günay – a 45-year-old award-winning newscaster with TGRT Haber – was fired alongside the director of the show, according to the Turkish media conglomerate, for showing a forbidden item.
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The pair were immediately sacked after the controversial show on Christmas Eve where Günay left a coffee cup from Starbucks in front of her as she read the news.
Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country who are mainly in support of Palenstinians in Gaza where as Starbucks is considered to be pro-Israel by many.
TGRT Haber released a statement hours after the act started to receive backlash.
According to the statement, the pair were “terminated for just cause” after they were deemed to have been “covertly advertising” Starbucks which is strictly forbidden in the broadcaster’s “principles”.
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It added that they “strongly condemn” the actions of the two employees and stated that TGRT has an “understanding that knows the sensitivities of the Turkish people regarding Gaza and defends them to the end”.
Coffee lovers in Turkey have turned on Starbucks in a nationwide boycott in recent weeks due to pro-Palestinian supporters alleging the company is bias towards Israel.
People online have been posting videos to social media of protestors outside Starbucks locations demanding people abandon the giant coffee chain.
Pro-Palestinian activists were left furious after the coffee chain sued its own union – Starbucks Workers United – after the organisation posted a since-deleted social media message showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.
The union group shared a message saying “Solidarity with Palestine” and an image of a bulldozer operated by Hamas tearing down a fence on the Gaza strip, according to those who saw the post.
Starbucks reacted to the post saying: “We unequivocally condemn these acts of terrorism, hate and violence, and disagree with the statements and views expressed by Workers United and its members.”
The chains CEO Laxman Narasimhan blamed “misrepresentation on social media of what we stand for” in a letter that seemingly addressed their stance on the war.
Mr Narasimhan didn’t name the Israel-Hamas war in his letter on a Starbucks’ blog, but many feel he was referencing it.
He said: “Many of our stores have experienced incidents of vandalism. We see protesters influenced by misrepresentation on social media of what we stand for.
“We have worked with local authorities to ensure our partners and customers are safe.”
In one of the worst cases of vandalism, a Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle was forced to temporarily closed after pro-Palestinian protesters smashed the windows and spray-painted the walls.
Messages in chalk also read “Free Gaza”, “Free Palestine,” and “Enter if you support genocide” on the floor, according to local news site KIRO 7.
The full TGRT statement reads: “In the news broadcast of TGRT Haber TV dated 24.12.2023, Meltem Günay, who was an announcer, was seen presenting the news with a Starbucks cup in front of her.
“In accordance with the principles of our institution, it is strictly forbidden for the announcer to present on TGRT News TV in a way that will covertly advertise any company.
“The news anchor and director who acted contrary to this principle were terminated for just cause.
“Our institution has an understanding that knows the sensitivities of the Turkish people regarding Gaza and defends them to the end. It is absolutely impossible to approve any action or publication contrary to this.
“We do not approve of this action of the presenter and director, whose employment contracts were terminated, and we strongly condemn it.
“For this reason, their employment contracts were terminated.
“From now on, our institution will continue to stand by the Gaza and Turkish people and protect their sensitivities until the end.
“It is announced to the public with respect.”
The President of Turkey – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – has publicly criticised the Israeli government since the events that followed the October 7 massacre.
Erdoğan has referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “the butcher of Gaza”, after the country’s military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
This comes after Israeli leaders announced they are prepared to fight for two more years in Gaza as they press on with plans to destroy Hamas.
Ministers have been told the army is about to enter phase three of the war to wipe out the terror group as a military force.
Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the war with Hamas “isn’t close to finished” during a trip to the Northern Gaza.
The prime minister promised to continue fighting until Hamas “is finished” as he spoke to soldiers and IDF commanders.
On the brutal October 7 massacre, Hamas gunmen attacked Israel and slaughtered around 1,140 people, mostly civilians.
They also snatched 250 hostages with many still being held by Hamas in secret locations across Gaza.
Israel then retaliated with weeks of relentless bombardments and a bloody siege, ground invasions and air strikes.
Hamas says at least 20,915 Palestinians have now been killed in the conflict.
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