Israeli smear campaigns have disastrous repercussions for journalists in Gaza - Free Press Unlimited puts pressure on the Dutch government
Today, Free Press Unlimited welcomes government officials back to work in The Hague with billboards displaying killed Palestinian journalists, in an effort to add pressure on the Dutch government to take action against Israel’s war crimes. Israel has established a special military intelligence unit tasked with producing material to falsely portray journalists as Hamas operatives. This active smear campaign not only undermines the credibility of independent reporting from Gaza, but also lowers the threshold for violence against journalists by framing them as legitimate military targets. Free Press Unlimited calls on international media outlets to treat allegations towards journalists in Gaza with the utmost scrutiny.
The systematic slandering of Palestinian journalists in Gaza by the Israeli government, spins even the most straightforward journalistic tasks as an act of terrorism. A recent case in point was Anas Al-Sharif, who the Israeli Defense Forces assassinated and then branded as Hamas-operative. As is common, this accusation was never independently verified. Through their emergency fund, Free Press Unlimited (FPU) supports journalists in distress with emergency assistance, legal support and safety advice worldwide. In the last two months they received hundreds of requests from Gaza alone. Among those requests are journalists who have directly experienced backlash from Israel's fabrications.
Israel’s active smearing campaign
FPU takes on cases from anywhere in the world. Journalists and media professionals are thoroughly vetted through extensive background checks and local networks. In the context of Gaza FPU has witnessed how well established and vetted journalists have been targeted by Israel’s smear campaigns and coordinated delegitimization efforts.
In a recent case, a consortium of press freedom NGOs, civil society organisations, independent journalists and media houses all attested unanimously to a journalist’s credible journalistic work. Despite this, Israel accused the journalist of being involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks, because he had entered Israeli territory during the attack. A fact which was true, simply because he left to cover the attacks - like any other front line journalist would. The journalist of concern could prove this with the timeline of his coverage through his platforms, in which the documenting of the events as a journalist — not as a collaborator — was evident. Moreover, The Associated Press confirmed that the photos he took were received and published well after the attack had begun. Timelines that are consistent with any journalistic coverage of crisis events. This journalist has since been killed by a targeted Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis while recovering from injuries sustained in a previous targeted attack.
International media play active role
“We see another pattern at work as well, where the media actively contribute to the same propaganda and feed into Israel’s war machine”, says Jos Bartman - Head of Research & Investigations.
Journalist Anas Fteha, who documents the ongoing crisis caused by Israel’s occupation, was painted as a Hamas propaganda operative by German tabloid Bild and newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, a frame readily adopted by Israel’s official X account. Anas Fteha had to put out a statement to defend himself against Bild’s baseless accusations. An extensive analysis by factchecking platform Snopes found that the claims were false, and that Fteha was indeed legitimately documenting people waiting to receive aid. Unfortunately the damage had already been done.
Done damage
“Purposeful delegitimization of Palestinian journalists takes away the last shred of protection they still have in this war.” Bartman states. Killing Palestinian journalists with large followings, such as Anas al-Sharif who was called ‘the voice of Gaza’, almost certainly leads to international condemnation and backlash. However, smearing their reputation with fake terrorism charges or propaganda accusations limits the negative reputational impact of the targeted killing of journalists. It forces journalists subjected to these campaigns to defend and legitimize themselves, ensuring that at least some part of their audience will distance themselves from them. In the best case scenario, delegitimization leads to the loss of an assignment for a journalist. In the worst case it is used to legitimize a targeted assassination.
Call to international media
Regrettably, these frames are sometimes echoed by international media. FPU urges international media outlets to examine allegations against journalists in Gaza with the highest level of scrutiny.
Bartman: “When Israel circulates claims that a journalist has ties to Hamas, these assertions must be understood in the context of a deliberate strategy to silence witnesses and prevent accountability.”
By repeating these smears without providing proof, the media risks amplifying narratives that place journalists in even greater danger. Furthermore, international media can create these frames themselves, providing fuel to Israeli delegitimization propaganda. Press freedom depends on the protection of journalists. We urge the international community, particularly global media, to reject the weaponization of disinformation against journalists and to stand firmly for the right to report freely and safely.
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This campaign in The Hague was made possible by the commitment and designs of Hey Honey.
