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Al Jazeera Documentary Absurdly Attacks CNN & BBC’s ‘Pro-Israel Bias’
The Al Jazeera Media Network logo is seen on its headquarters building in Doha, Qatar, June 8, 2017. Photo: REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon
Qatari-funded Al Jazeera claims to have the scoop. While HonestReporting has spent the past year (and many years before that) exposing anti-Israel media bias, we’ve apparently had it all wrong. A
ccording to Al Jazeera:
Ten journalists who have covered the war on Gaza for two of the world’s leading news networks, CNN and the BBC, have revealed the inner workings of those outlets’ newsrooms from October 7 onward, alleging pro-Israel bias in coverage, systematic double standards and frequent violations of journalistic principles.
We’ve certainly found systematic double standards and frequent violations of journalistic principles during the past year. That includes Al Jazeera, which has acted as a mouthpiece for Hamas, spreading false propaganda and misinformation, and inciting hatred and violence against Israel and its citizens. So much so that Israel has taken the media outlet off the local airwaves and withdrawn press accreditation for its employees.
But pro-Israel bias in CNN and BBC coverage? Not likely.
So who does Al Jazeera rely on for its half-hour documentary? Three characters whose backgrounds make their views crystal clear:
Craig Mokhiber
Interviewee Craig Mokhiber is a former UN official who has accused Israel of war crimes, has spread the work of BDS activists, and has denied Israel’s right to exist. S
hortly after he exited the UN, it was uncovered that he fraudulently turned his anti-Israel views into a means by which to distract from the real reasons behind his departure — his open antisemitism. (See the tweet below.)
SHAMEFUL: How did some media outlets allow themselves to be manipulated by an antisemitic UN official looking to use his hatred of Israel as a false cover for his own indiscretions?
Must-read : https://t.co/UD0WomS4r0
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) November 1, 2023
Ghassan Abu-Sitta
Ghassan Abu-Sitta is a British physician who has a pathological need to get in front of TV cameras in order to accuse Israel of every crime imaginable. This is hardly surprising, since a Jewish Chronicle investigation revealed that Abu Sittah has “praised a terrorist murderer in a newspaper article, sat beside a notorious terrorist hijacker at a memorial and delivered a tearful eulogy to the founder of a terror group that was later involved in the October 7 atrocities.”
Jeremy Scahill
Jeremy Scahill’s byline was on a rape denial article in alternative news outlet The Intercept.
The article set about attempting to debunk The New York Times piece, “‘Screams Without Words’: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7.” In doing so, The Intercept sought to cover up the extent of Hamas’ sexual crimes on October 7. It instead accused the Israeli government and Israel’s supporters of concocting the charges.
There’s nothing new in the charges made against Israel by the interviewees and nothing that hasn’t already been debunked elsewhere. What is new are the claims that Western media are complicit in Israel’s “genocide” and “war crimes.”
Al Jazeera charges the Western media with platforming Israeli “propaganda.” There is no examination of the all too many times the media got it wrong at Israel’s expense. Instead, the media are accused of enabling Israel to disseminate a false narrative. Where genuine errors may have occurred in the fog of war or due to miscommunication, Israel is portrayed as a conspirator in a plot to promote disinformation to a compliant media.
To back up its thesis, Al Jazeera claims to have spoken with 10 journalists from CNN and the BBC. Only two anonymous figures, however, one from each network, are interviewees in the documentary — hardly a substantial number.
And it’s worth asking, why would any journalists who value objectivity and impartiality shoot their mouths off to Al Jazeera of all media outlets?
The same Al Jazeera whose senior anchorman Jamal Rayyan, one of the network’s most prominent figureheads, celebrated the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel with a series of posts hailing the “resistance” and calling on Arab countries to support it, even if “secretly.”
The same Al Jazeera that mocked the October 7 massacre by airing a tasteless comedy sketch:
Al Jazeera’s new comedy sketch about October 7th, now with AI-generated English subtitles https://t.co/ABRiP1mIcr pic.twitter.com/sFDmzcKjcO
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) October 3, 2024
No fair-minded journalist would complain about journalistic ethics to Al Jazeera. But they would if they had a bone to pick with Israel that goes beyond concern for the well-being of the Fourth Estate.
Former BBC journalist “Sara” claims that “overwhelmingly, guests on the Palestinian side of things were being looked into” in an internal BBC group chat in which producers could vet potential interviewees based on their social media footprint.
Yet this is exactly what the BBC should be doing. Because BBC interviewees from the Israeli side don’t generally have a history of libels, demonization, or outright racism against the other. The same, sadly, cannot be said about the Palestinian side.
“Sara” says that even some non-governmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch, were vetted. It’s entirely proper that this should be the case. Too many NGOs are not neutral actors in the conflict, but instead promote a politicized anti-Israel agenda under the guise of human rights.
The examples of newsroom rebellions over “pro-Israel” coverage highlighted by Al Jazeera are less supportive of their case than it first appears.
Al Jazeera says it has obtained an email complaint sent by more than 20 BBC journalists to senior management:
The BBC employs over 5,000 journalists. That Al Jazeera is only able to quote an email sent by “over 20” speaks volumes.
And it must have been a terrible shock for those small number of BBC journalists when a former International Court of Justice (ICJ) president, in a BBC interview of all places, contradicted their claim in the email that the ICJ ruling “found it ‘plausible’ that Israel is violating the Genocide Convention in Gaza.”
Joan Donoghue, former President of the International Court of Justice, clarified on air with @BBCNews that the court did *not* decide that Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza could plausibly be considered genocide. pic.twitter.com/oz1lOCUMD6
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) April 26, 2024
In another example of journalists in revolt, Al Jazeera references what it calls “the now notorious report” in The New York Times on Hamas rapes that Jeremy Scahill did so much to attack. Al Jazeera claims that the Hamas weaponization of rape was “an allegation that was exposed as baseless.”
As HonestReporting pointed out when addressing the attempt to discredit the sexual assault claims, this is not a mere search for the truth but is part of a concerted effort to invalidate Israel’s military campaign against Hamas and to rehabilitate Hamas’ image in the West.
And Al Jazeera is an integral part of that effort.
The second anonymous interviewee, CNN journalist “Adam” complains that “there was a period of time when we couldn’t call airstrikes in Gaza airstrikes unless we had confirmation from the Israelis.”
Given the media’s collective failure when Israel stood falsely accused of an airstrike on the al-Ahli hospital in October 2023, and the fact that numerous Hamas rockets have fallen on their own people in Gaza, it doesn’t sound so unreasonable that CNN would do due diligence before reporting airstrikes as facts.
“Adam” complains about double standards. But should a terrorist organization be treated with the same level of respect given to the army of a liberal democracy? Especially as that terrorist organization sees little wrong in lying to achieve its own ends.
“Adam” even says that he had a problem with CNN editors telling journalists to “hold Hamas accountable” when Gazan casualty figures were announced.
“Sara” complains of an “unwillingness among the [BBC] executives to accept evidence.” This is somewhat ironic given the BBC’s reaction to the evidence presented to them of anti-Israel bias, most recently in Trevor Asserson’s report that found the BBC had breached its own editorial guidelines more than 1,500 times during the first four months of the Israel-Hamas war alone.
She also complains that the BBC has an aversion to its guests or its journalists using the word “genocide” to refer to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Actually, given both the gravity of the charge and the fact that Israel has not been found guilty of such a crime under international law, the BBC is absolutely correct to avoid giving the impression that genocide is taking place.
Of course, there are no such restrictions on Al Jazeera, which can in no way be considered impartial.
It would be remiss not to mention the token voice representing the other side in the debate. Al Jazeera interviewed former New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Jodi Rudoren, who pushed back against some of the charges leveled against her profession. But hers is a lonely voice in a documentary that has already framed an argument based on a simple and simplistic assumption — Israel is in the wrong and deserves to be portrayed as a criminal while the Western media are its accomplices.
Unfortunately for Al Jazeera, even though Israel comes in for plenty of criticism and unfair treatment in the international media, the Qatari-sponsored network’s definition of journalism isn’t what most mainstream media consider to be the norm.
The author is the Editorial Director of HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
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Jewish Radio Host in Australia Fired for Covering ‘Free Palestine’ Sticker, Refusing to Defend Oct. 7 Hamas Attack
A view of Sydney, Australia. Photo: Reuters/David Gray.
A Jewish volunteer radio host was fired from a community radio station in Sydney, Australia, after covering up a “Free Palestine” sticker on station equipment and refusing to describe the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in southern Israel as “resistance.”
Nicole, whose last name was not publicly shared for her safety, hosted a Latino music program in Spanish on Radio Skid Row, according to Sky News Australia, which was the first to reported on her firing. On Friday, the former radio host, who has Mexican and Israeli roots, talked about being fired in a video posted on social media.
“I just came out of a meeting with Radio Skid Row,” she said. “They basically just told me that if I cannot support the Oct. 7 attacks as ‘resistance’ and as something positive — basically saying also that it’s not true that anybody just killed or burned or anything — that if I cannot support the hostages being kept, then I don’t align with their values and I cannot be there. If I cannot support the fact that Israel doesn’t have a right to exist and that Jews don’t have a right to be in Israel, I can no longer be at their station.”
Radio Skid Row receives federal government funding from the Community Broadcasting Foundation and support from the City of Sydney Council. It broadcasts a weekly show called “Pulse of Palestine,” which examines “life under occupation and the global Palestinian resistance,” according to a description posted on the radio station’s website. The show is hosted by Palestinian activist Ahmed Alabadla and was previously titled “Red Inverted Triangle: Resistance, Intifada, Tahreer,” which is now the name of a podcast also hosted by Alabadla. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the red inverted triangle is a symbol used by Hamas and supporters of the terrorist organization to glorify its use of violence.
Radio Skid Row has deleted its Instagram account as of Tuesday but Sky News Australia noted that it has shared numerous anti-Israel posts on the social media application, including one that glorified notorious Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled. A member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is an internationally designated terrorist organization, Khaled hijacked a Tel Aviv-bound plane in 1969 and attempted another hijacking in 1970 of an El Al flight.
Nicole told the Australian news outlet that Radio Skid Row manager Manu Montero called her in for a meeting after she covered up on station equipment a sticker that featured a Palestinian flag and the words “Free Palestine.”
During the meeting, Nicole apologized for covering the “Free Palestine” sticker before talking to management first. She discussed her opposition to the “Free Palestine” movement and its connection to vandalism and other forms of violence in Australia, and how it has made “Jewish people feel uneasy and safe in Sydney.” She also talked about being a Jewish person who had family murdered in the Holocaust. She told Sky News Australia that another person who Montero invited to the meeting, a woman, laughed at Nicole when she talked about the Jewish experience and her heritage.
Montero responded by talking about the radio station’s opposition to Israel, accusing the country of colonization and saying Israel does not have a right to exist, Nicole recalled. Her husband, who attended the meeting to support her, asked Montero if Nicole could continue hosting her Skid News show if she stayed away from discussing politics. Montero replied no, that she had to actively support the Free Palestine movement, speak about it and attend pro-Palestinian rallies. Montero also denied that Oct. 7 happened entirely, Nicole told Sky News Australia.
Radio Skid Row and Montero have not publicly commented on Nicole’s firing.
The post Jewish Radio Host in Australia Fired for Covering ‘Free Palestine’ Sticker, Refusing to Defend Oct. 7 Hamas Attack first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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ADL Applauds NY Governor Hochul for Signing New Social Media Transparency Law Against Online Hate Speech
A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this February 28, 2013 illustration file picture. Photo: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed gratitude to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for signing into law on Tuesday legislation that will help combat hate speech on major social media platforms and ensure a safer social media experience for all users.
Legislation S895B/A6789B, also known as the “Stop Hiding Hate Act,” requires social media companies to inform all users of its terms of service. It also requires social media companies to submit reports about their terms of service and content moderation policies to the New York State Attorney General for inspection, and provides solutions for violations. The new law forces major social media companies to be more transparent about their current policies on topics such as hate speech, disinformation, extremism, and racism, and will hold the companies accountable for hate content on their platforms.
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D, WFP-Manhattan) penned the “Stop Hiding Act” in partnership with Assembly Member Grace Lee (D-Manhattan) and the ADL. Together they have been advocating for its passage for years, according to the anti-hate organization.
“Today represents the culmination of the hard work of Senator Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Lee and tireless advocacy from community organizations and constituents across New York who support this measure for greater internet transparency and safety,” Scott Richman, the regional director of ADL New York/New Jersey, said in a released statement. “We know there is still work to be done to protect vulnerable communities from hate and extremism online, but we commend Governor Hochul for taking this important step in creating a safer internet for all New Yorkers.”
Hoylman-Sigal said in a released statement that the new law “will help boost accountability and transparency for social media companies who currently face far too little regulation, and create a safer social media environment for all.”
“With white supremacy, antisemitism, islamophobia, anti-LGBTQ hatred and anti-AAPI violence all on the rise, social media companies must ensure that their platforms don’t advance disinformation and hate-fueled violence,” he added. “The current social media landscape makes it too easy for bad actors to promote false claims, hate and dangerous conspiracies, too often leading to violence like January 6 and the rise in antisemitism and islamophobia we have seen in the aftermath of the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel.”
Lee noted that New York is only the second state in the US, after California, to sign into law a social media transparency bill that holds such companies accountable for their moderation policies and hate speech on their platform.
“Social media companies have created an environment where hate and disinformation spread like wildfire,” Lee explained. “Algorithms that prioritize the most attention-grabbing posts often amplify hateful language, giving it a massive platform. These companies have a responsibility to protect users from this hate, but have failed to do so. The ‘Stop Hiding Hate Act’ ensures greater accountability and transparency on social media, requiring companies to clearly outline the steps they are taking to eliminate hate on their platforms. It will provide critical protections for all users online and hold these platforms accountable to the public.”
The “Stop Hiding Act” was part of a legislative bill package that Governor Kathy Hochul signed on Tuesday. “With this legislative package, we are taking bold action to hold companies accountable, strengthen protections, and give consumers the transparency and security they need and deserve,” the governor said in a released statement.
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Biden Admin Slams U.S. Agency’s Claim of ‘Famine’ In Northern Gaza
Former US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the next US ambassador to Israel on Capitol Hill, Washington, US, Oct. 18, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Leah Millis
The Biden administration issued a statement disputing a new report alleging the emergence of a famine in northern Gaza, accusing the group which issued the report of using false data in service of advancing an inflammatory narrative regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
On Monday, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) released a report detailing that a famine had allegedly taken hold of northern Gaza. The report argued that 65,000-75,000 individuals remain stranded in northern Gaza without sufficient access to food.
U.S. Israel Ambassador Jack Lew issued a statement denying the veracity of the FEWS Net report, slamming the organization for peddling “inaccurate” information and “causing confusion.”
“The report issued today on Gaza by FEWS NET relies on data that is outdated and inaccurate. We have worked closely with the Government of Israel and the UN to provide greater access to the North Governorate, and it is now apparent that the civilian population in that part of Gaza is in the range of 7,000-15,000, not 65,000-75,000 which is the basis of this report,” Lew wrote.
“At a time when inaccurate information is causing confusion and accusations, it is irresponsible to issue a report like this. We work day and night with the UN and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew continued.
FEWS Net initially released a bombshell report on Monday alleging that “Israel’s near-total blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies to besieged areas of North Gaza Governorate” has resulted in mass starvation among scores of innocent civilians. The agency claimed that an “analysis of trends in food consumption and acute malnutrition” in northern Gaza suggest that the enclave now meets the threshold of Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Phase 5 (IPC Phase 5), indicating a famine or catastrophe.
However, in the report, the agency conceded that it did not have the hard data to substantiate their allegations, stating that it relied “on extrapolation, inference, empirical evidence, logic, and expert judgment.”
FEWS Net continued, claiming that Israel’s current policies on food imports into Gaza have rendered the enclave vulnerable to mass starvation casualties. The organization
“In the absence of a change to Israeli policy on the entry of food and nutrition supplies to this area, FEWS NET expects non-trauma mortality levels will pass the Famine (IPC Phase 5) threshold between January and March 2025, with at least 2-15 people dying per day.”
Moreover, the report adds that the risk of famine in the rest of Gaza “remains very credible” due to Israeli restrictions on food imports, armed gangs hijacking humanitarian aid trucks, and Israeli airstrikes on military targets in the area.
Hamas, the terrorist group that sparked the ongoing war by slaughtering roughly 1200 people in southern Israel, often attempts to ransack and hoard aid trucks that enter the Gaza strip. Earlier this month, the United Nations (UN) acknowledged that armed Hamas militants have looted convoys near the Kerem Shalom crossing. The UN suspended aid deliveries into Gaza and called on Israel to provide better security in the beleaguered enclave.
In the year following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, Israel has been repeatedly accused of purposely inflicting famine in Gaza. Despite the allegations, there is scant evidence of mass starvation across the war-torn enclave.
Furthermore, this is not the first time that FEWS Net has attempted to accuse Israel of inflicting famine in Gaza. In June, The United Nations Famine Review Committee (FRC), a panel of experts in international food security and nutrition, rejected claims by the agency that a famine had taken ahold of northern Gaza. In rejecting the allegations, the FRC cited an “uncertainty and lack of convergence of the supporting evidence employed in the analysis.”
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