The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has dismissed Nika Soon‑Shiong, publisher of Drop Site News and daughter of biotech billionaire Patrick Soon‑Shiong, from its board of directors. The decision follows a report by the Washington Free Beacon that highlighted Soon‑Shiong’s anti‑Israel statements and the organisation’s practice of listing militants as journalists killed in Gaza.
According to the Free Beacon, Soon‑Shiong has described Israel as an "apartheid" state committing "genocide in Gaza" and claimed that "a Palestinian child is being murdered every ten minutes". She also alleged that Israel is responsible for systematic atrocities. The report noted that other CPJ board members, including Maria Ressa and Lydia Polgreen, have made comparable anti‑Israel remarks.
Soon‑Shiong said on social media that she was informed of her removal on Sunday evening and attributed the move to the Free Beacon investigation. She had previously urged the board to suspend its review of the casualty list and to hold a vote on whether to continue the exercise.
The CPJ’s list of journalists killed in Gaza has long been under scrutiny because it includes dozens of individuals later identified as confirmed combatants for Hamas and other jihadist organisations. The body announced a "full review of its database" after Hamas and other terrorist groups publicly claimed many of the deceased “journalists” as members of their ranks.
In recent months the CPJ has already removed the names of 20 slain Gaza “journalists” once their links to terror groups became evident. CEO Jodie Ginsberg reiterated that the organisation does not count anyone as a journalist where there is proof of combat involvement or incitement of imminent violence, though critics argue that the methodology remains flawed.
Watchdog groups such as HonestReporting have repeatedly highlighted revisions and corrections to the CPJ’s data. Board members from legacy outlets like The New York Times and NBC News have not commented publicly on the controversy.
Justin Pozmanter, news director at HonestReporting, said the review "is the bare minimum requirement towards acknowledging they've been misleading readers and falsely demonizing Israel for almost three years." He added that fact‑checkers and editors should have been able to verify the accuracy of the CPJ’s list using publicly available information.
The episode underscores a broader debate about media responsibility in covering the Israel‑Gaza conflict. Recent CPJ errors include the misidentification of Mohamed Skheil, who was in fact a commander with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Talek Skheil, confirmed as the commander of a training group operating around Al‑Shifa Hospital when he was killed in 2024.
While the decision to remove Soon‑Shiong and to launch a comprehensive audit is presented as a step toward greater transparency, observers warn that the CPJ still faces a substantial task in restoring credibility and ensuring the accuracy of its reporting on conflict‑related casualties.