Media 'Discovers' War on Journalists, Ignores Its Enablers
When Al Jazeera reports on the 'war on journalism,' they're speaking from experience, having lost numerous staff in Gaza. But while they document the dangers, US newsrooms often struggle to identify the perpetrators. Consider: since October 7th, over 100 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, overwhelmingly by Israeli forces. (Source: Committee to Protect Journalists). Yet, the
narrative from outlets like CNN or the New York Times frequently frames these deaths as tragic 'collateral damage' rather than targeted acts. This rhetorical dance allows politicians, heavily funded by groups like AIPAC – which donated $11.5 million last cycle (OpenSecrets.org) – to continue greenlighting aid packages, like the recent $14 billion for Israel, often without conditions. This isn't
merely a 'fog of war' for journalists; it's a strategically convenient blindness for media institutions and politicians alike. One might wonder, how many press vests need to be riddled with bullets before it stops being an 'unfortunate incident' and starts being what it looks like: an effort to control the narrative by eliminating the messengers?