https://arab.news/meagq
It is great that we now have a ceasefire in Gaza — a pause in the massacre and a return of the Israelis taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. But what I hate is how Israel and many of its allies are now trying to disguise the truth of what it has done over the two years since Oct. 7, killing some 68,000 people, including tens of thousands of women and children.
How can Israelis scream about Hamas murdering women, children and babies and yet close their eyes and deny the killing of women, children and babies by the Israeli military? That is almost as big a crime as the killings themselves. But that is exactly what they are doing. And they have the platform to advance the “big lie” that Hamas is responsible for the two years of mass murder, famine and destruction.
They can promote these lies through American politicians, the mainstream news media narrative and the excessive censorship of pro-Palestinian voices on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Large sections of the American media are complicit in the Gaza genocide and famine, suppressing reports of violence except when it is committed against Israelis. The media largely presents Israeli victims as human beings and Palestinian victims as mere statistics. The way the conflict is covered dehumanizes Palestinians and wipes away their suffering.
TikTok was one of the few places you could see videos of Israel’s genocide and the grotesque famine in Gaza
Ray Hanania
Social media was one escape from this massive media manipulation and cover-up. But Human Rights Watch issued an in December 2023 revealing how Facebook and Instagram were working hand in hand to delete posts that were too critical of Israel.
TikTok was last month bought by a consortium that includes billionaire and staunch Israel supporter and backer Larry Ellison. Since then, damning videos of Israeli actions in Gaza have been removed from the platform. TikTok was one of the few places you could see videos of Israel’s genocide and the grotesque famine taking place in Gaza. It was the sole alternative pushing the truth on its platform. No longer. Now it is little more than a platform for propaganda.
How do the pro-Israel actors control American politicians on this issue? By using money. Pro-Israel political action committees funnel large sums into the campaign coffers of elected officials and candidates. This is how they influence American politicians.
On the positive side, many nations, including some in Europe, have stood up and cast aside their immoral silence by denouncing Israel’s actions as genocide.
But let’s be honest here. America controls what happens in the Middle East, not the Arab world. It decides what Israel can and cannot do, protecting it in the UN Security Council and providing it with hundreds of billions of dollars in support that goes far beyond the headline figures. Not included are the costs of the military itself, the battleships that have been sent to the region and the daily cost of being a military that is at Israel’s beck and call.
Don’t be fooled by the slick propaganda that is starting to come out of Israel, Washington and American politicians
Ray Hanania
And, by the way, I distinguish between criticism of Israel’s government and Israel itself. Israel’s government is led by a man accused of war crimes. Israel itself is a state that we should support and that, in a true movement of peace with the Palestinians, can be embraced by the Arab world.
The Arab Center Washington DC is launching a platform to provide detailed information on Palestine and the day-to-day tragedies that have taken place, according to Executive Director Khalil Jahshan. We need it badly. There is no single place where you can get specific and confirmed details on the Gaza genocide — evidence that can be used in the International Criminal Court to pursue the Israeli political leaders who have directed this genocide and famine.
Don’t be fooled by the slick propaganda that is starting to come out of Israel, Washington and American politicians who are bought and paid for by pro-Israel campaign funds. The truth is obvious to any objective person. Israel has committed genocide and done everything in its power to eliminate the Palestinian people from Gaza, killing many and attempting to destroy survivors’ ability to live in Gaza in an effort to push them into Egypt or Jordan.
There is a famine. The Palestinians who have somehow survived have been starving for two years. One former worker for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which replaced UNRWA after Israel banned it, last month revealed how the organization was created “so that the Israeli government can control (aid) to implement genocide under the banner of the US.”
Those are the facts. And no matter how much social media is controlled to suppress the truth, it will come out. And, one day, Israel’s government will be held accountable for its violent actions.
- Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at . X: @RayHanania