“If violence upon journalists is needed to protect a state’s interests, the alleged criminality of the state is confirmed,” the late Toronto Sun crime writer Allan Cairns once said back in the late 1990s. The conversation then was about Israel.
“Recent reportage of al Jazeera makes clear the facts that the state of Israel has a penchant for blocking the only media outlets willing to cover Israel’s state-sponsored crimes against Palestinians,” said Simon Baldock, an Israeli security analyst currently working in Jerusalem on a specific project, but normally based in Tel Aviv. He spoke shortly after al Jazeera journalist Givara Budeiri was released from a grueling attack and detention by Israeli Occupation Forces in East Jerusalem.
“You don’t see or hear American networks like CNN in the occupied territories covering apartheid crimes, but maybe learn about a couple or three US-media-ignored lawmakers like Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raising the matter. The extreme right wing government of Israel uses its military forces and paramilitary to limit the ability of the media to report those crimes,” said Mr. Baldock.
by Behar Abbasi and Micheal John
The International Criminal Court says it is examining the ‘situation in Palestine‘.
Previous efforts at truth and peace-building indicate little cause for hope.
Amy Maguire, of the University of Newcastle writes, “Some prominent Democratic politicians now publicly oppose the position that Israel’s right to self-defence must be asserted by the US, regardless of whether its military actions are proportionate. (Citing Amy Maguire in: “Why is accountability for alleged war crimes so hard to achieve in the Israel-Palestinian conflict?” )
USA Senator Bernie Sanders wrote in May:
“the fact of the matter is that Israel remains the one sovereign authority in the land of Israel and Palestine, and rather than preparing for peace and justice, it has been entrenching its unequal and undemocratic control.”
Not just Bernie Sanders has been speaking out. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked why the US could not stand up to Israel, which she called an “apartheid state”.
On 15 May, Israel made Joe Biden look like a foolish puppet when it bombed the American media outlet Associated Press to smithereens in Gaza.
It happened again today. Israel targets al Jazeera journalist.
Al Jazeera News journalist Ms. Givara Budeiri was assaulted and arrested in a brutal manner by Israeli occupation forces while dutifully covering demonstrations in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Photo Credit: Live video capture. Art/Cropping/Enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective Magazine
In a statement released seven hours ago, al Jazeera said that, “Al Jazeera News Channel’s journalist Givara Budeiri was arrested in a brutal manner by Israeli occupation forces while covering demonstrations in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Al Jazeera holds the Israeli government responsible for her welfare and demands her immediate release.”
According to what can be seen in a video feed of events, Givara Budeiri was assaulted, battered, and arrested in a brutal manner by Israeli occupation forces while dutifully covering demonstrations in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Hoda Abdel Hamid, who witnessed these events today, explained that the lawyer for Ms. Budeira had presented at the occupied territory police office where Givara Budeiri was detained after being roughed up.
According to journalist Ms. Abdel Hamid,
Ms. Budeiri’s lawyer came armed with video showing that Givara, the reporter, had been violently mistreated;
- ‘Givara was clearly dressed to indicate she was a journalist;
- ‘Givara had repeatedly attempted to present her credentials; and
- ‘Givara was holding an al Jazeera signed microphone, as she has done for years in the East Jerusalem occupied territories.’
Numerous sources including other members of the police services have told FPM.news correspondents that the conduct of Givara Budeiri was dutiful in her role as a journalist.
“What isn’t clear,” notes Mr. Baldock, “is why this particular journalist, a familiar face in the area for years, one with a good reputation for truthful coverage, was targeted. I suspect there was an event that was taking place in East Jerusalem that the Israeli Occupying Forces wanted to distract from,” he added.
Released after three hours and told she would not be allowed to enter Sheikh Jarrah.
Hoda Abdel Hamid, said “We spoke to several witnesses and they all said there was no reason for that kind of tension and that it was not clear why they decided to specifically go against Givara while there were other journalists doing exactly what she was doing,” she said.
Ms. Givara Budeiri was trying to dig out her press credentials from under her “PRESS” flak jacket. She said while she was imprisoned she was told that al Jazeera only reports lies about what Israel is doing and that she would not be allowed to report on events in East Jerusalem’s neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
“The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today,” said Mr. Gary Pruitt, the president and CEO of Associated Press.
Israel’s 15 May 2021 missile attack on the media covering Gaza Strip.
Photo Credit; Mahmud Hams /Pool Photo via AP