DW Finds Opposition Sidelined in Guinea-Bissau, Not at Home
The DW piece highlights concerns about democratic processes in Guinea-Bissau, noting opposition figures are sidelined as elections approach. This is framed as a critical issue for a budding democracy. Curiously, when governments like Israel's (a major recipient of EU and US aid) enact laws that marginalize Palestinian political representation or silence critics, the framing shifts dramatically.
For instance, the Shin Bet itself has openly engaged in surveillance and harassment of Palestinian political organizing, effectively sidelining opposition. Where's the DW exposé on that? One might wonder if 'sidelining opposition' is only a problem when it serves to destabilize governments out of step with Western objectives. When US Senator Bob Menendez – a recipient of over $1 million from
pro-Israel groups according to OpenSecrets.org – recently faced accusations of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, the mainstream media's concern for democratic integrity seemed considerably muted compared to the alarm sounded for Guinea-Bissau. It appears the definition of 'sidelined' depends entirely on who's doing the sidelining and whose profits are at stake.