Lynne Coates;
22nd Aug.2014
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THE resumption of hostilities between Hamas
and Israel will, no doubt, result in more appalling scenes of carnage in Gaza.
No right-minded person can fail to be affected by the tragic images of dead and
injured children, graphically displayed on TV and in the press. Yet, as a
photo-journalist, I question the veracity of the media coverage of this
conflict.
The spectacle of throngs of international
media, jostling for the most advantageous position to film and photograph
injured or dead children, is both distasteful and disrespectful.
How do they know where to be and when, in
order to capture those images, and how do they get there? Gaza is a theatre of
war. Unless they know in advance where and when a bomb is going to fall, how
can they be at the target site immediately after or, in some cases, before the
attack takes place?
The answer has now been well-documented. Hamas
deliberately fire rockets from populated areas, mosques, schools and hospitals,
in the knowledge that Israel will respond to destroy the rocket launchers.
Therefore, Hamas can direct the media to the location from which they have
fired rockets, knowing full well the carnage that will follow.
By using this strategy, they manipulate the
world’s press. This is how Hamas conduct their war. It is the duty of
journalists to witness and report factual information, and to be fair and
accurate. How can they report fairly when they are led by events that are
clearly orchestrated for their benefit?
Indian television channel NDTV filmed Hamas
firing rockets into Israel from a populated residential area next to their
hotel. They are to be commended for their courage and for getting that film
aired on TV.
After they had safely left Gaza, the reporter, Jain Sreenivasan,
wrote an article in which he asked: “How long do we self-censor because of the
fear of personal safety,in return for not telling a story that exposes how
those launching rockets are putting so many more lives at risk, while the
rocket-makers themselves are at a safe distance?”
The FPA (Foreign Press Association) reported
that many foreign journalists in Gaza have been harassed, threatened or
questioned.
They also revealed that Hamas have put in
place a “vetting” procedure that would allow for the blacklisting of specific
journalists.
French-Palestinian journalist Radjaa Abou
Dagga wrote in an article for French newspaperLibération about how
he was “detained and interrogated” by members of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigade in a
room in Shifa hospital and was forced to leave Gaza immediately without his
papers. Similarly, John Reed of the Financial Times was
reportedly threatened after he tweeted about rockets being fired from the same
hospital.
Gabriele Barbati, an Italian reporter, refuted
the Hamas version of an incident which killed 10 children. According to Mr
Barbati, a misfired Hamas rocket was responsible, and militants “rushed and cleared
debris”.
The Palestinian version of events, blaming Israel, was broadcast by
all major media outlets. Mr Barbati’s version was suppressed. Journalists in
Gaza are not allowed free access. They are herded around from bomb site to
hospital, stage managed and directed.
Hamas ensures that reporters are exposed to
maximum casualties by insisting interviews only take place in the courtyard of
the Al-Shifa hospital. In some cases bomb sites are used to provide PR
opportunities.
Sudarsan Raghavan, of the Washington Post, described
how he was taken to photograph a mosque that had been bombed and it was obvious
that someone had “prepared” the scene by placing a prayer mat and burnt Koran
pages, too perfectly, with obvious symbolism. It was easily spotted by a TV crew
who filmed it.
Despite reports that Israel hit 1,678 rocket
launching facilities, 191 weapons facilities, 977 command centres, and 32
tunnels, there was little footage of those facilities. Given the huge numbers
of press in Gaza (an estimated 700) this exposes the prejudiced portrayal of
the conflict.
The tragedy is that the more complicit the media is with Hamas,
the more that Hamas continues to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians.
Hillary Clinton said in a recent interview
that Gaza has been “effectively stage-managed” by Hamas, and that the PR battle
is one that is historically tilted against Israel. Many of us are guilty of
forming opinions based on sensational headlines, and no other country comes
under such intense media attention as Israel.
The relentless publication of
graphic imagery from Gaza is having dire consequences for Jewish communities
throughout Europe, with the exponential growth in anti-Semitic incidents.
However, it would be naïve to imagine that
supporting Hamas in Gaza will only harm the Jews. Siding with one terrorist
group will serve to empower others. Journalists in war zones have a greater
moral responsibility, both to act as witness and to report with integrity and
honesty.
In the 21st century it is the media that has the ammunition to fight
terrorism – let us hope they are brave enough to use it wisely.
* Lynne Coates is a Yorkshire-based
photo-journalist who has worked in the Middle East on Palestinian/ Israeli
co-existence peace projects.
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Times of London columnist Melanie
Phillips reports on growing anti-Semitism in Europe
and particularly
the UK, and explains.
We consider this is well worth
watching.
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