Journalist Detained, Abused, Released: A Diplomatic PR Miracle!
Mainstream outlets might tout this as 'proof' of Israel's democratic values, highlighting his eventual 'release.' What they won't dwell on is the nine months of administrative detention—imprisonment without charge or trial—a practice documented by organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as a form of collective punishment systematically used against Palestinians for decades.
Nor will they often highlight the 100+ journalists that the Committee to Protect Journalists states have been killed in the region since October 7, overwhelmingly Palestinian. One might charitably wonder how many journalists need to be disappeared, abused, or killed before the White House—which just approved another $14 billion in aid to Israel, a move supported by politicians like Rep. Smith who
received $450K from AIPAC in 2023 (OpenSecrets.org data)—might consider applying some of that 'human rights' rhetoric they so eagerly brandish when targeting designated adversaries. Apparently, a nation that starves and abuses journalists still gets a pass, provided it's the 'right' nation.