Killing Journalists – where is the outcry?
JVL Introduction
Blogger Kay Green listened to the October 2024 session of the Parliamentary Committee of the Council of Europe where Julian Assange made his first public statement since his release from imprisonment in the UK. Amongst other issues raised during the Committee’s debate was an appeal from investigative journalist Kristin Hrafnsson for ‘outcry and condemnation’ about the rising death toll of journalists covering war zones.
The next morning, she looked in vain for any signs of a suitable answer to his call from the mainstream media. It just wasn’t there, so she wrote up his appeal herself, recognising this as yet another issue where mainstream journalism fails, so independent activists and bloggers need to take up the call. Unfortunately, when she attempted to post links to her article on social media, she found herself being censored. In fact, the article was taken down by Facebook with remarkable speed. Anywhere it appeared, it instantly disappeared with a note about ‘going against community standards’.
That’s why she is asking other outlets to help spread the appeal for all of us to stand in solidarity with journalists and a free press, particularly on the topic of the extraordinary death toll of journalists and their families in Gaza.
Here’s why we all need to help raise the outcry Hrafnsson asked for.
(We are posting Julian Assange’s own article separately)
LL
This article was originally published by Kay Green's Blog on Wed 2 Oct 2024. Read the original here.
Outcry and Condemnation
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It appears the “Western” “narrative” is so deeply embedded in the State apparatus. Given that, it’s no surprise that “Western Media” (?!) haven’t insisted on the right of entry to report from occupied Palestine and its territories, in the West Bank and Gaza. Declassified and the Greyzone, amongst other independent media, have reported on “D” notices being slapped on reporting UK military activities in relation to their involvement in occupied Palestine. This relates particularly to the use of the British Airbase at Akrotiri in Cyprus as the hub for spy-planes and hardware for Israeli genocide.
It is apparent there are “journalists” too afraid to lose their jobs by challenging the vile pro-zionist bias in Western Media: The BBC is a perfect example. Instead of demanding to report from inside occupied Palestine, it trots out, unchallenged, propaganda from the Israeli Occupying Force and its Zionist mouthpieces.
Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, Seymore Hears, John Pilger, Jonathan Cook, and others, understand that “journalism” is about being a cover for the state, for complicity in genocide, the sale of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist states, dehumanisation of those occupied and protecting the vested interests of the tiny western power elite.
Journalism is not, “The Israeli Military today said…..”. Whilst Julian Assange was supported by a brave band of campaigners, who never gave in, all through his internment and isolation. We have to be the eyes and ears of those silenced by the Western Media. We are few, and they are many, but “All Eyes on Palestine” [and Lebanon] has to be our cry. We have the duty as defenders of freedom and justice to keep challenging their agenda. There is no other way in which we can be a voice for the voiceless in Palestine.
You are doing excellent work joining the dots at JVL. There is a further issue that is linked. The global matter of climate breakdown and ecosystems collapse is fuelled by nationalism, pronatalism, and growth economics. Wars increase GDP. Increasing GDP increases our global ecological debt. We are accelerating our own extinction by attempting to grow our economies during ecosystems collapse. We need to voluntarily work together to shrink the global economy equitably. Addressing wealth inequality is essential, because it reflects the ecological injustice in our world. The rich damage the Commons, and all of Life on Earth has to pay the ecological debt.
What is so utterly shaming as a citizen of the UK is the fact that I should need to comment. The world can see the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the attempt to continue the same in the West Bank. It could be stopped indeed it need never have started. It means quite simply that those that can exercise their power do not care