By Kevin Gosztola
What is the likelihood that any American sees the unfolding massacres on television and walks away with some commentary that will truthfully illuminate what is happening between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza right now?
Attacks that have been coming from Israel since Christmas Day reached critical mass yesterday as over 200 in Gaza were killed and 300 were injured. Israel claimed it was beginning an operation in response to Hamas attacks that had been occurring during a brokered ceasefire. The White House and President-elect Obama recognized Israel’s supposed right to defend Israel against Hamas and many reports added the idea that Hamas was supported by Iran.
Inevitably, one could see why many Americans would not question the official story. There are many Americans who, according to Chris Hedges, are “dependent on skillfully manipulated images for information. They have, “severed [themselves] from the literate, print-based culture [and] cannot differentiate between lies and truth. [They are] informed by simplistic, childish narratives and clichés [and are] thrown into confusion by ambiguity, nuance and self-reflection.”
It’s not just that, though. Americans hear Israel’s assessment of Hamas—their characterization—and think terrorism. The Bushworld they have lived in for nearly a decade has many thinking that Hamas is another group of extremists like al Qaeda. Few know Hamas leaders have Palestinian support and Hamas was democratically elected to rule Palestine.
The United States supported democratic elections in Palestine but publicly declared it would “shun Hamas” if its leader won. A senior Israeli official, according to the NY Times, said “Hamastan, a militant state that would sponsor attacks on Israelis” could arise from Gaza as a result of the elections.
The U.S. clung to the fact that Hamas is listed on the U.S.’ list of terrorist organizations and so, therefore, the U.S. would not need to recognize Hamas like the U.S. might have recognized Saddam Hussein.
Following elections, the U.S. worked to rid Palestine of Hamas rule by propping up members of Fatah, another faction in Palestine vying for state power. Vanity Fair reported in its April edition this year that the U.S. was plotting to overthrow Hamas. According to The Guardian from the UK:
With the victory of Hamas, Rice moved swiftly to try to persuade Abbas to take steps to dissolve the Hamas authority in Gaza. When Abbas did not move quickly enough, the US consul general in Jerusalem, Jake Walles, was dispatched to Ramallah to deliver a curt reminder…
… According to the magazine, Rice played a main role in trying to persuade Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to offer training and funding to the Fatah fighters. Israeli officials admitted in December 2006 that Egypt had sent weapons to the Fatah faction in Gaza.
The U.S. effort did not end with the establishment of a Palestinian national unity government. Vanity Fair described the administration’s plan B, which called for adding 4,700 new Fatah troops with additional training in Jordan and Egypt. A state department memo put the cost for salaries, training and weapons at $1.27bn (£640m) over five years.”
How did Hamas end up on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations?
Hamas (and Hizbollah) have been on the list since 2001. But, the explanation given by the State Department for Hamas being on the list is quite imprecise and befuddling, especially since the explanation shows there is doubt that Hamas even poses a threat to the U.S. If it poses no threat to the U.S., the question must be asked: Why is Hamas a terrorist threat to the U.S.?
The State Department says of Hamas:
The Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) a.k.a. Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya; Izz al-Din al Qassam Battalions; Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades; Students of Ayyash; Students of the Engineer; Yahya Ayyash Units
Description: HAMAS, which includes military and political wings, was formed at the onset of the first Palestinian uprising or Intifadah in late 1987, as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. The armed element, called the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, conducts anti-Israeli attacks, including suicide bombings against civilian targets inside Israel. Social-political elements engage in “Dawa” or ministry activities, which include running charities and schools, fund-raising and political activities. A Shura council based in Damascus, Syria, sets overall policy. Since winning Palestinian Authority (PA) elections in 2006, HAMAS has taken control of significant PA ministries, including the Ministry of Interior. HAMAS formed an expanded, overt militia called the Executive Force, subordinate to the Ministry.
Activities: Prior to 2005, HAMAS conducted numerous anti-Israeli attacks including suicide bombings, rocket attacks, IED attacks, and shootings. The group curtailed terrorist attacks in February 2005 after agreeing to a temporary period of calm brokered by the PA, and ceased most violence after winning control of the PA legislature and cabinet in 2006. After HAMAS staged a June 25 attack on IDF soldiers near Kerem Shalom that resulted in two deaths and the abduction of Corporal Gilad Shalit, Israel took steps that severely limited the operation of the Rafah crossing. HAMAS maintained and expanded its military capabilities during this time. HAMAS has not directly targeted U.S. interests, although the group makes little or no effort to avoid targets frequented by foreigners.
Yet, with the state of news in America, the nuances, ambiguities, and subtleties will not be discussed. There won’t even be a true Palestinian voice on the news as Gaza is pounded. (A Palestinian voice to the media is a member of the U.N. who represents Palestinian interests. See these reports from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) for further details.)
Americans will see Tzipi Livni, who is now the Israeli Foreign Minister and who used to be an agent for Mossad. Mossad has, in the past, conducted assassinations of members of Hamas and leaders of Palestine, but don’t expect this reality to affect the media’s decision to use Livni as the sole source of analysis on the Gaza attacks. For instance, she was the source of information for today’s “Meet the Press.“
On “Fox & Friends,” there was a news alert with the headline reading, “Israel Continues Gaza Barrage: Some 250 Separate Attacks Reported.” Who provided the analysis on this show?
Mike Baker did, and he, according to SourceWatch, is:
“a chief executive director of Prescience LLC, a business intelligence firm, and Prescience Capital, a private equity fund manager. He is the co-founder of Diligence LLC, however in 2005 he sold his holdings in the company and founded a new firm, Veritas Global, an information and risk management consulting firm. Baker is a former covert field operations officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, specializing in counterterrorism, counternarcotics and counterinsurgency operations. He served fourteen years in the CIA’s Operations Directorate.”
He is the media’s go-to guy whenever somebody is needed to analyze unfolding situations in the Middle East because he has “been involved in building and running several companies in the private intelligence, security and risk management sector” and is a “regular contributor to the Fox News late-night talk show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.”
Between Mike Baker and Tzipi Livni and the reports from the White House, there isn’t a chance in hell that Americans get an accurate representation of the current situation in Gaza. But, at least there is coverage today.
Yesterday, the Sunday news programming could not offer Americans any breaking news alerts as the situation was escalating. At 4:00 pm, FOX News was covering the Santa gunman rampage, CNN was explaining how the holiday shopping season had been a bust, and MSNBC was showing “Deadly Affair,” a feature on the murder of 30-year-old Anne Marie Fahey.
Around 8:00 pm, there were still no reports on the cable news networks. MSNBC was showing “Lockup: New Mexico.” FOX News had “Huckabee” on. CNN was showing iReports from citizen journalists and was featuring a report on a civil war ship that supposedly washed up on the beach after Hurricane Ike. Nancy Grace was on the Headline News Network giving Americans the news they want—the human interest stories that are not news that really impact them but news which touches them in ways that they want to be touched. The headline on Nancy Grace was, “Tot Mom Ex-Fiancé Jesse Grun Takes Your Calls.” It was a primetime exclusive. The story was another superfluous report on the situation unfolding around Caylee.
Thankfully, cities across the U.S. are mobilizing for morning and afternoon protests.
As of now, al Jazeera, the best source for news on the situation, has reported that, “Israel has deployed tanks and troops along the border with the Gaza Strip as Defense Minister Ehud Barak hints at a massive ground offensive.”
The brutality and savagery of the scene is only going to get worse as Barak and other Israelis ramp up support for Israeli actions.
Reports will claim humanitarian aid is going to be allowed through to Palestinians and Israel will go to great lengths to differentiate between Hamas and Palestinians and say this is an attack on Hamas and not Palestine. But, the people of Palestine who are killed and injured will not buy this rhetoric.
History cannot be justified by platitudes. And the Palestinians know the history of suffering Israel has put them through.
Do not wait for President-elect Barack Obama to offer more than the fact that he is “monitoring” the situation. The people of America need to take the lead and begin educating themselves on the history of this conflict and the nuances, ambiguities, and subtleties that Palestinians and Palestinian human rights advocates understand but Americans are deeply unaware of.
Check WorldCantWait.net for further updates.
UPDATE
Archbishop Desmond Tutu says “Gaza attack akin to war crimes.”
Israel‘s bombardment of Gaza “bears all the hallmarks of war crimes,” Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said in a statement on Sunday.
“In the context of total aerial supremacy, in which one side in a conflict deploys lethal aircraft against opponents with no means of defending themselves, the bombardment bears all the hallmarks of war crimes.”
The attacks, in retaliation for rockets fired by the Palestinians, would not contribute to the security of Israel, he said.
“It is a blight not only on the Middle East, but on the entire world – and particularly world leaders who have consistently failed the people of Palestine and Israel over the past 60 years.”