Dubai: A veteran Arab-American journalist who was sacked from the CNN International for her tweet on the late Syed Mohammad Hussain Fadlallah, yesterday said that her comment was misunderstood and created unwanted reaction from both sides.
Octavia Nasr, whose Facebook page is named as Octavia Nasr-CNN will no longer appear on the screen of the international news satellite service in which she worked since 1990. Nasr will definitely look for another job as soon as she finishes her holiday with her family in Beirut, Octavia's close colleague told Gulf News yesterday.
An immigrant Christian Palestinian, Octavia tried always to maintain her objectivity and neutrality as a reporter since she started her career as a TV journalist with the LBC in 1985.
The short tweet she had two days ago said: "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammad Hussain Fadlallah.. One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot…. Lebanon", severed the contract between Octavia and her beloved channel in which she worked as a Middle East Editor for what the management said was a breach of a contract condition under which no worker is allowed to express his or her political views in public.
Octavia said the reaction to the tweet was immediate, overwhelming. "The incident provides a good lesson on why 140 characters should not be used to comment on controversial or sensitive issues, especially those dealing with the Middle East," she said in her statement received by Gulf News.
