The dream of a Palestinian narrative

 

Palestinian journalists have taken centre stage in Gaza

One of the great scholars of the 20th century, Edward Said, wrote that Palestinians have been denied permission to narrate their own history. He argued that Israeli propaganda had a life of its own, especially in America, and that Western coverage of the war in Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza ultimately reflected Israel’s perspective and interest. The brutality endured by the Palestinians—their existence and historical displacement—therefore stood little chance of being globally understood. “Facts do not at all speak for themselves, but require a socially acceptable narrative to absorb, sustain and circulate them,” Said wrote in 1984.

As Israel continues to deliberately bomb civilian targets in Gaza, Said’s assertions are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago. In fact, Israel seems more determined than ever to prevent Palestinians from narrating their story. Israel has killed an estimated 110 Palestinian journalists since October 7 in a campaign that has no parallel in the history of modern warfare. Gaza is now the deadliest place in the world for reporters. The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate contends that among Palestinian journalists killed over the last 15 weeks, 96 were deliberately and specifically targeted by surgical Israeli strikes against them, at home or in the line of duty. The families of Palestinian journalists have also been targeted in Israel’s war against civilians. In October, Israel killed four members of the family of Al Jazeera’s bureau chief Wael al Dahdouh. Dahdouh’s wife, his 15-year-old son, his seven-year-old daughter and his grandson died in an Israeli strike on a refugee camp where they were seeking shelter after their home was bombed. In early January, an Israeli airstrike killed Dahdouh’s eldest son, 27-year-old Hamza, who was also a journalist, while he was travelling in a vehicle in Khan Younis with colleagues. Journalist Mustafa Thuraya, working for Agence France-Presse was also killed during that attack, while a third reporter, Hazem Rajab, was seriously injured. Dahdouh himself was wounded by an Israeli drone strike in December that killed his colleague Samir Abudaqa, an Al Jazeera cameraman, in southern Gaza. Despite the loss of his family members and colleagues, Dahdouh continued to chronicle the destruction of Gaza and in so doing gave new meaning to acting with grace under fire. His courage has informed the world and has given Palestinians hope. Many of the videos he and another Al Jazeera colleague, Hamdan Dahdouh, have posted on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have gone viral; the videos are a combination of reportage, personal diary and footage of Palestinians in tremendous agony.  (more...)

The dream of a Palestinian narrative