‘Pro-Palestine’ Conde Nast official resigns amid anti-Semitism charges

Yashica Olden, the former chief of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Conde Nast, has quietly resigned following accusations of anti-Semitism from Jewish employees within the company.

Conde Nast, a global media powerhouse known for publishing prestigious titles like ‘Vogue’, ‘Vanity Fair’, and ‘The New Yorker’, has been grappling with internal tensions over its handling of pro-Palestine coverage amid Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The resignation follows an official complaint filed by Jewish staff, who accused the company’s management of holding what they saw as a pro-Palestinian editorial stance and for not taking action against journalists who attended anti-Israel protests, according to a report by Semafor.

The employees also called for the creation of an employee resource group (ERG) for Jewish staff, similar to those available to other minority groups.

Employee Resource Groups are typically formed to foster support and belonging among employees with shared characteristics, although the concept has often been criticised for potentially reinforcing divisions and overemphasising identity within the workplace.

While Olden reportedly supported this idea, she insisted that other religious groups, including Muslims, should also be permitted to form similar groups.

Tensions escalated when some Jewish employees felt their concerns were not being taken seriously, leading several to file a complaint accusing Olden of anti-Semitism.

So far, “Teen Vogue”, in particular, has faced backlash after covering pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses and highlighting Palestinian casualties, the number of which has surpassed 42,000.

The magazine also covered and published an article titled “Over 1,800 Jewish Writers, Artists, and Professors Sign Open Letter Saying Criticism of Israel Isn't Inherently Anti-Semitic” in November.

The company's initial statement addressing the October 7 attacks was also criticised for being “wishy-washy” as it did not condemn Hamas.

“As we witness the horrific ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, we know many of our colleagues are suffering," the statement read. “Collectively we have family, friends and loved ones in all corners of the world, some directly experiencing crisis in the region. We wanted to make sure that all Conde Nast employees feel supported at this time."

Soon after, Vogue contributing editor-at-large Gabriella Karefa-Johnson removed her job title from her Instagram bio after posting stories in which she denounced Israel as an “apartheid state” and compared the Israeli army to a “terrorist organisation”.