Reporting Live From the Abyss

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, an explosive hit the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, killing over 400 people. In the immediate following of the attack, an IDF spokesman said they had no knowledge of the strike. Approximately an hour later, Al Jazeera reported that an IDF spokesman said they had delivered a warning to the hospital and five others. Approximately an hour after that, they claimed that the rocket was from a “failed Islamic Jihad rocket.”

The IDF has a history of doing this. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the IDF blamed Palestinians. Soon after, they eventually admitted it was a “high possibility” that Israeli fire killed Abu Akleh, before saying there would be no criminal investigation.

Other holes have been poked in Israel’s narrative. Israel claimed the rocket was launched from the southwest, but investigations have found it was fired from the direction of Israel. Experts examining audio released by the IDF claiming two Hamas operatives discussing responsibility for the attack have found it to lack credibility.

“Earshot said that a forensic sound analysis revealed that the audio was recorded on two separate channels, and then edited together, disqualifying it from being a credible source of evidence,” Al Jazeera reported.

Since the denial of responsibility, Israel has continued to bomb residential neighbourhoods and send warnings to hospitals, which are desperately running out of supplies. They will collapse, due to Israel’s newest move to prevent electricity and humanitarian aid, which is a violation of international law.

US President Joe Biden, who lied about seeing photo evidence of 40 beheaded children, said he believed Israel was not responsible for the hospital bombing. The claim was spread by CNN reporter, who apologized for spreading the claim after Israel said they could not confirm the report.

Canada threw its lot in with the US, with Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair saying there is a “high degree of confidence” that Israel did not strike the hospital.

Crucial historical context for this claim is needed. Canadian intelligence accurately assessed back in the early 2000s that Iraq did not possess weapons of mass destruction. CSIS backed the US regardless, and the results were hidden from US intelligence. The author of the study found “IAS assessments on Iraq [were] classified 'Canadian Eyes Only' in order to avoid uncomfortable disagreements with the U.S. intelligence community which would exacerbate the sensitivities affecting relations at the political level.”

In short, Canada knew the truth that Saddam Hussein did not possess WMDs, and chose not to contradict the US regardless.

In nine paragraphs, evidence here has been credibly sourced that show, at the very least, claims by Israel they aren’t responsible for the bombing of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza are suspect at best. Despite this, our news media has refused to provide this context.

The CBC News piece on Canada’s statement of agreement with Israel and the US doesn’t present any of the things mentioned in this article so far. In a piece that Israel was pleased at this result, Global News also didn’t mention any of these discrepencies. CTV News notes that Canada has not officially taken a position, but unsurprisingly, does not mention any of these discrepancies either.

Though this is simply one aspect of the latest assault on Palestine by Israel, it’s indicative of the entire western news media’s coverage of the conflict. Claims are presented devoid of context. Government agencies are presented as neutral-actors despite easily available proof that they should be examined with scrutiny. The entire news media system has gone into overtime to frame Palestinian Genocide as a necessary evil at best, and justified at worst.

Additional Violence

This framing by western capitalist news media can’t be divorced from the direct attacks on journalists that have happened since this latest conflict began.

Ahmad Darawsha, a reporter for the Arabic language Al Araby Television Network, was reporting live from Ashdod in Israel when an Israeli police officer approached him and began threatening him. “I don’t care if you are on live, what are you doing?” The officer demanded.

When Darawsha replied that he was simply covering what the Israeli military was doing, the offier said “You better be saying good things. Understood?” After Darawsha explained to the feed that the Israeli police were monitoring them, the officer returned to directly address the camera.

“We will turn Gaza to dust! Dust! Dust! Dust!”

Two journalists for BBC Arabic, Muhannad Tutunji and Haitham Abudiab, were dragged from their vehicle, pushed against a wall and had guns pointed at them in Tel Aviv on October 15. The vehicle they were in was clearly marked TV, with red tape. The journalists identified themselves as such, and showed their ID cards.

“While attempting to film the incident, Mr Tutunji said his phone was thrown on the ground and he was struck on the neck,” BBC News reported.

Israel responded to the incident, claiming that they stopped “a suspicious vehicle” for weapons, claiming that Israel is at war with “a cruel enemy” that uses “cunning methods."

Back during Israel’s bombing of Gaza in May of 2021, missile strikes deliberately targeted an Associated Press building, which also housed a offices occupied by the news channel Al Jazeera. A year later, as previously mentioned, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by Israeli forces.

Israel has also approved resolutions that allow them to shut down Al Jazeera offices operating within the country. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said “The broadcasts and reports of Al Jazeera constitute incitement against Israel, help Hamas-ISIS and the terror organizations with their propaganda, and encourage violence against Israel.”

As The Business Standard reports, “The regulations are retroactive, meaning broadcasts by the Qatari network since the war started can now be used as the basis for a decision to shut down the staunchly pro-Palestinian news outlet's local branch.”

At least 23 journalists have been killed in the conflict according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 19 of which have been Palestinian. 15 of which have been killed due to Israeli air strikes or one who was killed “during a shelling attack from the direction of Israel.”

Journalists are under attack, directly by Israel, and yet the apparatus still works to obscure the conflict in their favour. Israel is an ally of the US empire, and all powers aligned with these powers will ideologically align with this imperial order, especially settler-colonial states. News media is an extension of this ideological perspective, no matter how directly their colleagues are threatened.

A Way Out

Despite this obvious slant, there is a way to balance news media consumption.

One of the most trustworthy sources in this situation has been the reporting of Al Jazeera, almost certainly a factor that has led Israel to target them. Of all the major networks, they have been the only one to continually represent the Palestinian perspective, especially with reporters on the ground, and provide the historical and political context for the conflict and claims by Israel.

To be clear, Al Jazeera, being largely funded by the Qatari government, is not immune to previously mentioned dynamics. The network will not, for example, report critically on the government of Qatar for their human rights abuses. The reasons for their reporting on this genocide reflect the position of Qatar, who politically aligns with Palestine. But interests do not discredit reporting wholesale. Canadian news outlets still provide important information to the population of the country. But in framing like this, the news media of countries that unconditionally ally with Israel cannot be generally trusted. News media literacy is needed in these contexts.

It should go without saying that the reporting on Israel’s crimes is of the utmost importance right now. That’s why accounts reporting on the ground, like Motaz Azaiza and Eid Yara, must also be followed. News that reports a different perspective, like Turkey’s state broadcaster Anadolu Ajansi, provide critical coverage as well. Again, no source is perfect, but the wider perspective will help cut through the noise.

To comprehensively collect the claims of Israel, the uncritical coverage of western capitalist news agencies, and the omitted facts necessary for context in all aspects of the Palestinian genocide is a Herculean task. The attacks, claims, counter claims, misinformation, disinformation and accurate information is all moving at lightning speed. This newsletter is operated by one person who is following what he can as it happens. The tools will not be handed to you by one outlet, but a critical outlook can be cultivated for you to operate on your own.

Living in the Abyss

The situation may be undeniably dire, but we’re not completely blind. Here’s what we know, Israel is committing genocide. News media reflects the ideology of its country. Israel claims have a history of being untrustworthy, as well as US and Canadian claims. Israel is cracking down on journalism. There are news agencies out there doing necessary contextualizing, even if they share similar systemic issues.

There is no excuse to uncritically accept Israel’s claims. There is no excuse to not be informed from reporters on the ground and news outlets that provide necessary context. There is no excuse to pretend there is no way to see what’s happening.

There is unrelenting noise in the abyss, while those who claim they will help find a way out continue digging. But there is also light shining in, allowing us to see. We just need to look up.

Don’t pretend you don’t see it.