The indifference to the war on Gaza
JVL Introduction
Gideon Levy is one of a handful of Israeli journalists who reports, week after week, on the realities of occupation, rubbing Israeli noses in the mess they refuse to own.
On the triumphalist atmosphere prevailing in Israel after the recent war he has this to say: “Only the death of Zili, a Border Police dog, in Nablus – which garnered a front-page headline in the Yedioth Ahronoth daily, along with his funeral, the tears, the grave, the eulogies and the official statement of mourning by the prime minister – weighed a bit on the intoxicating mood of victory.”
And he asks how many Israelis are even aware of what happened to children in Gaza during those three days?
While internationally, shamefully, government after government prated on about Israel’s right to defend itself – ignoring the reality that it was the aggressor!
This article was originally published by Haaretz on Thu 11 Aug 2022. Read the original here.
When Roger Waters Cried
Loading article text…
At least one of Levy’s Haaretz colleagues wrote a piece saying Israel had to act first to pre-empt what was anticipated to be a certain attack from Gaza. This view is also prominent in the mainstream Israeli media – which is what most Israeli Jews rely on. Thus, the people of Gaza are, conveniently, damned if they do and damned if they don’t, and the Jewish population – very few of whom read Haaretz, or other publications containing alternative perspectives, like +972 – have no reason to engage in any self-reflection.
Switch Ukrainians for Palestinians and Israel for Russia and the narrative will be totally different.
This is a heartbreaking story but it reveals how the MSM has its finger on the pulse in garnerong sympathy from those that matter. The British press does not show little children sobbing.or standing outside their destroyed homes it does show stone throwing youths but not the Israeli soldiers that shoot at them from behind. Wailing men carrying the bodies of supposed terrorists is culturally alien to the voters they wish to persuade.
Look no further than the early days of the Ukrainian war – a dog with a child – a dog with an elderly person – a dog alone – a dog with Ukrainian soldiers keeping them safe Ukranian pet rescue is big news.
Put a photo of a Palestonian Donkey on the front page of a safe Establishment paper with a little child crying by its side you might get a reaction – sickening is it not ? but true Gideon Levy shone a light on the power of the media.Palestine needs it’s own Holywood a PR machine that can break through this politicised sympathy until then thankfully there is Gideon Levy
The arrogance of power shows not remorse for the misdeeds committed in its name. The blood shed by Israeli missiles is just washed away by militaristic and triumphal rhetoric. Unfortunately Jewish humanitarian values are swept aside by Zionist aggression.
I feel just as frustrated with the Israeli Troops and Government, they just seem to regard the Palestinian people as a subhuman group. But all we can do is give the Palestinians our full support, and help wer we can.
The deafening silence from the Labour parties front bench is just totally inhumane. A mass protest and debate at our Annual Conference by be one way of forcing the issue. It’s the least we can do.