Television presenter Erin Molan at a press conference during a visit to Penshurst Girls School in Sydney, Wednesday, December 8, 2021. Photo: AAPIMAGE via Reuters Connect

Sky News Australia senior reporter and commentator Caroline Marcus refuted over the weekend claims that her former colleague, Erin Molan, was fired from the network last week because of the latter’s support for Israel.

Marcus, who is Jewish, addressed speculation about Molan’s firing on the network’s program “Outsiders” while filling in for the show’s regular co-host Rita Panahi, who is currently visiting Israel for Sky News Australia’s coverage. Marcus said the “upsetting theory” that Molan was let go from Sky News Australia because of her pro-Israel stance is “a lie.”

“Since her exit from Sky News Australia made headlines earlier this week, I’ve seen a troubling narrative take hold. A narrative pushed by pro-Israel activists I usually respect,” Marcus said on-air. “The spin is Erin has been pushed out because of her Zionism, being ‘cancelled’ for speaking out. Yet anyone who watches Sky News Australia knows that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Any suggestion that Erin’s departure had anything to do with her speaking out on these topics is patently false, and frankly, it’s insulting,” she added. “Because we couldn’t be more supported by this company and its leaders when it comes to this vitally important issue. This lie discredits those who spread it and distracts from very real examples of anti-Israel bias in the media here and elsewhere. Bias that we at Sky News Australia are often the first to expose.”

Marcus also said the suggestion that Molan was fired for her pro-Israel views dismisses the “important, fearless work” the network does “in speaking out against evil and extremism everyday.” She additionally named a number of Sky News Australia hosts who have been “exceptionally strong” when it comes to Israel and fighting antisemitism.

On Friday, fellow Sky News Australia host Sharri Markson also denied that Molan was fired by the network because of her strong support for Israel.

Although Sky News Australia did not publicly disclose a reason for Molan’s firing, the former news anchor released a nine-minute video on X last week about her parting ways with the network and said it will not stop her from speaking out avidly in support of Israel.