Experts assess media coverage of situation in Gaza on Ray Hanania show

Ray Hanania was joined by Ignacio Miguel Delgado (L), Mohammed Najib (C) and Andrew Friedman (R). (Screenshot/Supplied)
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Updated 20 May 2021
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Experts assess media coverage of situation in Gaza on Ray Hanania show

  • ‘So far we have documented the destruction of at least 18 media outlets’ by Israeli forces, says specialist from Committee to Protect Journalists
  • Palestinian and Jewish reporters agree they have to deal with censorship, and public pressure to promote one side of the story at the expense of objectivity

CHICAGO: The office of the Associated Press (AP) in Gaza City, which was destroyed by the Israeli bombing of Al-Jalaa tower last weekend, is just one of 18 media sites attacked by Israel during its current conflict with the Palestinians.

The shocking figure was given on Wednesday, during a discussion on a US radio show sponsored by Arab News, by Ignacio Miguel Delgado, a specialist on the Middle East and North Africa with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The non-profit global organization promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.

In addition, an Israeli and a Palestinian journalist who also took part in the discussion said they are forced to work under oppressive restrictions that include censorship of their reports by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) or the Palestinian National Authority.

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Delgado said that while journalists in many countries in the region, including Syria and Iraq, face great risks, those who are covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict face the greatest personal danger.

“The situation right now for journalists in the Gaza Strip is very dire,” he said. “Right now they are either covering the news and covering the air strikes and military operations, or running for cover because they have nowhere to hide.

“So far we have documented the destruction of at least 18 media outlets. There may be more but, so far, that is what we documented. Three buildings hosting and housing these media outlets, production companies and broadcast services were bombed to the ground.

“The justification for that by the IDF is that Hamas was using these buildings for military purposes but so far we haven’t seen any evidence of that activity and we would like to see that if that is the case.”

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Israeli forces intentionally targeted and destroyed Al-Jalaa tower on May 15. In addition to the AP offices, the building also housed Al Jazeera and several other media operations. The IDF said it was also used by Hamas militants but the AP and the CPJ said there is no evidence of this.

Delgado said there is evidence, however, that Israel is targeting journalists who report on the destruction by Israeli forces of civilian targets, as well as alleged military targets.

“A few days before the bombing of Al-Jalaa building there were two (other) buildings (destroyed): the Jawhara building and Al-Sharouk building, which were housing several local media outlets — Al-Mamlaka channel from Jordan, for example,” Delgado said. “Others were housing the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV. There were plenty of local-media outlets.

“And the problem is that with the destruction of these buildings, many journalists have lost their equipment. They were given some time to evacuate the buildings but they of course couldn’t take everything with them — all their broadcasting equipment, cameras and such. So many journalists are now deprived of the tools to do their jobs properly.”

The Israeli military contacted the 18 targeted media locations to give them advance warning of the attacks and a chance to evacuate. However, several journalists have been killed or injured during the current and previous conflicts.

“In Gaza we have seen at least 18 journalists killed since the CPJ started to keep records in 1992,” Delgado said. “In this conflict, we woke up today to the news of the killing of a journalist. We have had another three journalists killed who were covering air strikes in Gaza. The region is one of the most dangerous regions for journalists.”

Israeli journalist Andrew Friedman, from Efrat, and Palestinian journalist Mohammed Najib, from Ramallah, told Hanania that they are forced by the Israeli and Palestinian governments to censor their reports on the conflict.

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“In this ongoing mini-war, the IDF didn’t allow the international media to enter Gaza since the start of the mini-war for nine days; today (Wednesday) was the first day that they allowed foreign correspondents to enter the Gaza to cover this war,” Najib said from his offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, where he has worked as a freelance reporter for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other major publications.

“More than that, everyone saw the bombing of Al-Jalaa Tower in Gaza (which was based) on allegations that Hamas is based at that tower — but all the reports from Gaza deny that.”

Friedman, a former op-ed editor at the Jerusalem Post and former editor of Yedioth Aharonoth, acknowledged that like Palestinian reporters, Israeli journalists are also faced with official censorship and an audience that is hostile to the opposing viewpoint. But he said he does not think the IDF is intentionally targeting the news media in Gaza or anywhere else.

“It’s certainly true that many Israelis feel an unrepentant hostility toward the media,” he said. “I find it difficult to believe the army is going after the media intentionally.

“First of all I think the army has better things to do. But … with all due respect to Ignacio, who is a very good reporter, if the building was under the use of Hamas, I don’t think he would be free to report that. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to go back to Gaza and report that anymore.”

However, Friedman added: “I don’t have a lot of confidence in the military’s justification, and I don’t have a lot of confidence in the Palestinian side’s accusations.

“For Israelis and their supporters, the story is absolutely clear: small Jewish country attacked by rockets — what do you want them to do? From the perspective of Palestinians and their supporters, it is equally clear: an occupied country under attack in Jerusalem and in Gaza — what do you want them to do?”

Najib agreed that the public in both Palestine and Israel expect journalists to promote their side of the conflict, rather than remain objective.

“I can say after (many) years in journalism, the most difficult job is to be a journalist,” he said. “According to the Palestinian culture and the Israeli culture, (the people) ask, ‘Are you for us or against us?’

“And I tell them, why I should be classified or defined to be with you or against you. I am not against anyone. We must be professional journalists.”

* The Ray Hanania Radio Show is broadcast live on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit and on WDMV AM 700 Radio in Washington DC on the US Arab Radio Network, and is sponsored by Arab News. For more information about the show and to listen to previous episodes, visit ArabNews.com/RayRadioShow.


Sharjah Media City offers new ‘Mazeed’ service for entrepreneurs

Sharjah Media City is offering a new service called Mazeed. (Supplied)
Updated 18 March 2025
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Sharjah Media City offers new ‘Mazeed’ service for entrepreneurs

  • It provides a wide range of tailored options that simplify set-up and expansion of small and medium-sized businesses, to help foster innovation and creativity
  • Strategic partnerships with several business-services companies offer seamless access to essential financial and operational services and tools

SHARJAH: Sharjah Media City, also known as Shams, is offering a new service, called Mazeed, designed to empower entrepreneurs and provide integrated solutions for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The new service offers a wide range of tailored options that simplify the formation or expansion of a business, including financial solutions, digital marketing, legal consultancy and operational services, Shams said, to help foster an environment that promotes innovation and creativity in support of a thriving business ecosystem, it added.

“The launch of Mazeed aligns with Shams’ strategy to support entrepreneurs and enhance entrepreneurship in Sharjah and the UAE by providing practical solutions that simplify business management, reduce operational costs and promote sustainability and growth,” Shams said.

Rashid Abdullah Al-Obad, the director of Shams, said the new service represents a step forward in the enhancement of digital innovation in the business environment.

“Mazeed aims to simplify the journey of entrepreneurs, enabling them to focus on growing their businesses instead of dealing with complex operational procedures,” he added.

“The launch of Mazeed aligns with Sharjah’s vision to support a sustainable economy and foster investment while enhancing the customer experience by offering innovative services that effectively meet the needs of the business sector.”

Shams also said it has formed strategic partnerships with business-services companies Aura, Peko and Qashio to provide small and medium-sized enterprises with seamless access to essential financial and operational services, to help ensure that business owners have the tools they need to optimize operations.

Aura will provide access to flexible financing solutions, including invoice financing for business-to-business transactions and installment payment plans for licensing fees. Such services offer greater financial flexibility, which helps businesses maintain operational stability and drive growth.

Through Peko, businesses can access essential business services such as utility bill payments, mobile bill management, flight and hotel bookings and payroll processing. Peko also offers advice on digital business tools, such as WhatsApp for Business and electronic signatures, that can simplify operations.

Qashio focuses on advanced financial-management solutions, including expense management, virtual bank account creation, and a rewards system using Qashio Points. The partnership also includes a revenue-sharing model.

Shams said Mazeed will continue to form new strategic partnerships in various sectors as part of its strategy to expand the services on offer to entrepreneurs, and more announcements are expected soon.

The aim of such collaborations is to drive business innovation and provide cutting-edge solutions that help support the sustainability and growth of startups in the UAE, it added.


Saudi wildlife documentaries receive top honors at Muse Creative Awards

Updated 18 March 2025
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Saudi wildlife documentaries receive top honors at Muse Creative Awards

  • ‘Guardians of the Red Sea: The Hidden World Beneath,’ ‘Hope is Growing,’ ‘Horizon’ each win 2 platinum awards

LONDON: Three documentaries showcasing Saudi Arabia’s wildlife have won a total of six platinum awards at the Muse Creative Awards, which honor excellence in innovative and creative filmmaking worldwide, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

“Guardians of the Red Sea: The Hidden World Beneath” earned two platinum awards in the Nature and Wildlife, and Documentary categories, while “Hope is Growing,” which explores the propagation and reintroduction of endangered species, secured platinum awards in the Music Film and Nature, and Wildlife Films sections.

“Horizon,” which was produced in collaboration with the Center for Government Communication, took platinum awards in the Cinematography, and Documentary Film tracks.

Established in 2015 by the International Awards Associate, the Muse Creative Awards have become one of the most prestigious events in digital media, design, and marketing, attracting over 100,000 entries from more than 120 countries.

The award-winning films showcase the Kingdom’s rich biodiversity and natural landscapes, helping to raise public awareness of environmental conservation. They also underscore Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to protect wildlife, preserve ecosystems, and promote sustainable environmental practices.

Arab News hosted a special screening of the “Horizon” documentary at the residence of the EU ambassador in Riyadh in April 2024, where Abdullah Alahmari, CEO of the Konoz initiative, and Yazeed Albader, associate producer of the documentary, were honored. Speaking at the event, Princess Lamia described the film as “not only a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s rich natural heritage but also a call to action — a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and conserve the precious ecosystems that define our world.”

Now available on streaming giant Netflix, “Horizon” is part of a collaboration between the Ministry of Media’s Center for Government Communication, and the National Center for Wildlife, celebrating the rich natural diversity of the Kingdom.

Several other Saudi entries were also recognized at the ceremony, including “Start Your Championship,” a film which chronicles the first national Olympics in Saudi history; “Challenge is Our Nature,” a documentary which follows the Dakar Rally in the Kingdom; “Race the Sunset,” a celebration of youth spirit and culture during the GT race in Jeddah; and “We Race the Future,” a film about the Saudi Arabian Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah.


Telegram’s Durov says ‘great to be home’ after leaving France

Updated 17 March 2025
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Telegram’s Durov says ‘great to be home’ after leaving France

  • Russian-born founder of messaging app was allowed to temporarily return to Dubai after receiving permission from the investigating magistrates
  • France authorities arrested, charged him with several counts of failing to curb “extremist” and “terrorist” content

PARIS: The Russian-born founder of messaging app Telegram Pavel Durov on Monday said it was “great to be home” after he was allowed to temporarily return to Dubai from France despite being investigated over illegal content on the popular service.
Durov, 40, was arrested in France last year, held for several days and charged over illegal content that was being posted on Telegram by users. He was released but not allowed to leave the country.
But he returned to the United Arab Emirates, where he lives and has nationality, at the weekend after receiving permission from the investigating magistrates in charge of the case to leave France.
“As you may have heard, I’ve returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram,” Durov wrote in a post on Telegram.
“The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home,” he said.
He thanked the investigative judges “for letting this happen,” while adding that “for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.”
Durov was able to leave France after the investigating judges — for a period of March 15 to April 7 — relieved him of his obligations under the measures of judicial control that had been imposed on him after he was released last year, the office of the Paris prosecutor told AFP on Monday.
He had been expected to report to police twice a week and was banned from leaving French territory, as well as posting five million euros in bail.
His August 2024 arrest was the first time the founder of a social media company was arrested over content on their platform. With more than 900 million active users, Telegram is one of top messaging apps in the world.
After days of questioning following his arrest, he was charged with several counts of failing to curb “extremist” and “terrorist” content.
Extracts from Durov’s questioning in December through an interpreter and seen by AFP showed that he initially blamed French authorities for failing to alert Telegram to alleged criminal activity.
He nevertheless admitted that, while in custody, he “realized the seriousness of all the allegations.”


Trump freezes US-funded media outlets including Voice of America

Updated 16 March 2025
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Trump freezes US-funded media outlets including Voice of America

  • VOA director Michael Abramowitz said he was among 1,300 staffers placed on leave Saturday

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration on Saturday put journalists at Voice of America and other US-funded broadcasters on leave, abruptly freezing decades-old outlets long seen as critical to countering Russian and Chinese information offensives.
Hundreds of staffers at VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe and other outlets received a weekend email saying they will be barred from their offices and should surrender press passes and office-issued equipment.
Trump, who has already eviscerated the US global aid agency and the Education Department, on Friday issued an executive order listing the US Agency for Global Media as among “elements of the federal bureaucracy that the president has determined are unnecessary.”
Kari Lake, a firebrand Trump supporter put in charge of the media agency after she lost a US Senate bid, said in an email to the outlets that federal grant money “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”
The White House said the cuts would ensure “taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda,” marking a dramatic tone shift toward the networks established to extend US influence overseas.
White House press official Harrison Fields wrote “goodbye” on X in 20 languages, a jab at the outlets’ multilingual coverage.
VOA director Michael Abramowitz said he was among 1,300 staffers placed on leave Saturday.
“VOA needs thoughtful reform, and we have made progress in that regard. But today’s action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission,” he said on Facebook, noting that its coverage — in 48 languages — reaches 360 million people each week.
The head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which started broadcasting into the Soviet bloc during the Cold War, called the cancelation of funding “a massive gift to America’s enemies.”
“The Iranian ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years,” its president, Stephen Capus, said in a statement.

US-funded media have reoriented themselves since the end of the Cold War, dropping much of the programming geared toward newly democratic Central and Eastern European countries and focusing on Russia and China.
Chinese state-funded media have expanded their reach sharply over the past decade, including by offering free services to outlets in the developing world that would otherwise pay for Western news agencies.
Radio Free Asia, established in 1996, sees its mission as providing uncensored reporting into countries without free media including China, Myanmar, North Korea and Vietnam.
The outlets have an editorial firewall, with a stated guarantee of independence despite government funding.
The policy has angered some around Trump, who has long railed against media and suggested that government-funded outlets should promote his policies.
The move to end US-funded media is likely to meet challenges, much like Trump’s other sweeping cuts. Congress, not the president, has the constitutional power of the purse and Radio Free Asia in particular has enjoyed bipartisan support in the past.

Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders condemned the decision, saying it “threatens press freedom worldwide and negates 80 years of American history in supporting the free flow of information.”
Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and senior Democratic congresswoman Lois Frankel said in a joint statement that Trump’s move would “cause lasting damage to US efforts to counter propaganda around the world.”
One VOA employee, who requested anonymity, described Saturday’s message as another “perfect example of the chaos and unprepared nature of the process,” with VOA staffers presuming that scheduled programming is off but not told so directly.
A Radio Free Asia employee said: “It’s not just about losing your income. We have staff and contractors who fear for their safety. We have reporters who work under the radar in authoritarian countries in Asia. We have staff in the US who fear deportation if their work visa is no longer valid.”
“Wiping us out with the strike of a pen is just terrible.”
 


Miami Beach mayor threatens cinema closure over screening of Oscar-winning film ‘No Other Land’

Updated 14 March 2025
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Miami Beach mayor threatens cinema closure over screening of Oscar-winning film ‘No Other Land’

  • Documentary is propaganda, attack on Jews, says Steven Meiner
  • Cinema’s CEO Vivian Marthell stands by decision to screen film

LONDON: The mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, has threatened to shutter a cinema that screened “No Other Land,” the Oscar-winning film that tells the story of Palestinian displacement in the West Bank.

Steven Meiner has proposed terminating O Cinema’s lease and withdrawing $40,000 in promised grant funding, following a series of requests to cancel the documentary screening.

Meiner’s proposal to terminate the cinema’s lease is scheduled for a city commission vote next Wednesday.

Critics of the film claim it unfairly criticizes Israeli and German officials and contains antisemitic content.

“The City of Miami Beach has one of the highest concentrations of Jewish residents in the United States,” Meiner said in a newsletter sent to residents on Tuesday.

He described the documentary as “a false one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our City and residents.”

Meiner also claimed that O Cinema’s CEO, Vivian Marthell, initially agreed to cancel the screening but later reversed her decision and added additional dates after the film sold out.

Marthell said she stood by her decision.

“We understand the power of cinema to tell stories that matter, and we recognize that some stories — especially those rooted in real-world conflicts — can evoke strong feelings and passionate reactions. As they should.

“Our decision to screen ‘No Other Land’ is not a declaration of political alignment. It is, however, a bold reaffirmation of our fundamental belief that every voice deserves to be heard.”

The production, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature this month, was filmed between 2019 and 2023 by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers.

It follows the destruction of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank by Israeli military forces and chronicles the unlikely friendship between Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, who co-directed the film.

Abraham said in a statement: “When the mayor uses the word antisemitism to silence Palestinians and Israelis who proudly oppose occupation and apartheid together, fighting for justice and equality, he is emptying it out of meaning.

“I find that to be very dangerous.”

While the film has received critical acclaim, it has also sparked controversy, highlighting ongoing tensions over free speech and Palestinian activism both in the US and internationally.

“Freedom of expression is an important value, but defamation of Israel into a tool for international promotion is not art,” Israel’s Culture Minister Miki Zohar said in a social media post after the Oscars.

Despite its success, “No Other Land” has struggled to secure US distribution, with the filmmakers self-releasing the film through mTuckman Media.

The directors — particularly Abraham and Adra — have blamed political backlash fears as the reason for US distributors’ reluctance to acquire the rights.

The controversy comes amid heightened tensions over Palestinian activism in the US.

Earlier this week, Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student activist and green-card holder who led the Palestinian solidarity movement during campus protests last year, was detained by immigration authorities.

President Donald Trump has alleged, without evidence, that Khalil has links to “pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American activity.”

The incident has sparked an international outcry, with rights groups and media condemning Khalil’s detention as “a dangerous moment” and “a flagrant assault on free speech” that violates the First Amendment.