An Australian parliamentarian has used tax-payers’ money to publish an attack ad targeting an award-winning journalist for her supposed “anti-Israel” bias.

The unprecedented targeting of ABC Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill by Federal Labor MP Michael Danby has provoked an angry response from both her employer and other politicians.

According to a report in the Guardian, Danby’s advertisement in the Australian Jewish News, partly paid for with electoral funds, claims McNeill provided “extensive” coverage of the eviction of a Palestinian family in East Jerusalem, but “minimal” reportage of the killing of Israeli settlers.

The paper notes that “this is not the first time Danby has taken aim at McNeill”, an award-winning foreign correspondent, adding that “the Israel lobby has also openly campaigned for the ABC to cancel her posting”.

In July, former Middle East correspondent for the Australian, John Lyons, “revealed that pro-Israel advocacy groups in Australia targeted McNeill, fellow ABC correspondent Peter Cave and himself”.

In his memoirs, Lyons says he “was subjected to consistent pressure from the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council while based in Jerusalem for the Australian for six years”, and that “there was a campaign against McNeill before she set foot in the Middle East”.

The Guardian reports that ABC’s director of news, Gaven Morris, was “so appalled by the prominent ad in the community paper he has written to the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, calling on him to curb the Victorian MP’s attack.”

An official statement issued by ABC also “strongly” rejected Danby’s allegations, including a factual rebuttal of the claim that the killing of three Israeli settlers was not sufficiently covered.

Read: Pro-Israel advocates in Australia targeted three journalists, new book claims

Meanwhile, the Age newspaper reported that “top Labor figures” believe “it’s time” for Danby to retire, “as anger over his taxpayer-funded attacks on an ABC journalist sparked fresh speculation about his future”.

Danby, however, has apparently doubled-down on his personal attacks targeting McNeill, with a second ad in the Australian Jewish News.

Former Labor foreign minister and New South Wales premier Bob Carr “said Mr Shorten should make him apologise for his attacks on McNeill”.

“Can’t believe Danby used more taxpayer funds on second Aus Jewish News ad attacking ABC coverage,” he tweeted. “A weekly injection of taxpayer money? Should guarantee editorial endorsement in unlikely event Labor runs him again.”

1/2: Can't believe Danby used more taxpayer funds on second Aus Jewish News ad attacking ABC coverage. A weekly injection of taxpayer money? — Bob Carr (@bobjcarr) October 5, 2017

In the second ad, Danby described the Palestinian family evicted from their home in occupied East Jerusalem for settlers to move in as “Arab squatters”.