A drawing of Netanyahu with the phrase “murderer” during a demonstration in Cairo denouncing the war on Gaza (European News Agency)

As soon as the Prime Minister of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, woke up from the effects of the “drug” he was injected with, as a result of undergoing surgery, and learned that the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) had approved, yesterday (Monday), a law granting him the authority to ban foreign media outlets that he deems harmful to the security of the entity, Until he turned around, targeting Al-Jazeera Channel with his spears and stray arrows.

He rushed, with all arrogance, and foolishness, to declare on the “X” platform; That: “Al Jazeera will no longer broadcast from Israel... I intend to take immediate action to stop its activity.” In his attack on the island, Netanyahu is escaping from his failure, defeats and setbacks internally and externally, trying to restore his balance, which was disturbed in the sands of Gaza, over the course of six months of war, without achieving any significant military or political achievement.

Silencing the island

The head of the government or the occupation gang - it makes no difference - made false and misleading claims; Al-Jazeera harmed Israel's security, actually participated in the "flood of Al-Aqsa", and incited against its soldiers, and that the time has come to expel it. While Al-Jazeera described these statements as: "a dangerous and ridiculous lie."

In targeting “to silence Al Jazeera,” Netanyahu is no different from hardened criminals, including murderers, thieves, and their gangs. In their relentless pursuit to liquidate and kill witnesses to their crimes, to silence them forever, so that they do not speak out about the episodes of the crime they saw and lived through, and then the truth dies. Al Jazeera is the living witness that transmits documented crimes of the occupation, and verifies the news from its sources, whether in Gaza or Israel.

 Empty fun

“Banning Al Jazeera’s broadcasting” from the occupied territories is a stupid decision, useless and ineffective. It is a decision recalled from previous eras, in which the ban had an effect. It is futile and empty fun with no meaning or benefit. Humanity is living in the era of open skies, and the spread of social media that “crosses borders and continents,” bypassing bans, bans, and blockings... allowing every individual a private platform through which he can publish whatever news, opinions, and comments he wants, without obstacles. Whoever wants to watch Al Jazeera will definitely watch it, whether in the occupied territories or elsewhere, despite Netanyahu, his government, and his failed army.

School of objectivity

Since the 1920s, two schools of war have competed in journalism. The first is that journalists deal with the facts of war “objectively,” which means, in short, that the journalist’s opinions and judgments are free from whim, desire, and purpose, as objectivity is closely related to judgments and opinions. It is impossible - in practice - to provide objectivity in this sense, in various aspects of life, including the “military”, as it is inevitably affected by the positions of the individual (or journalist), his ideas, and the values ​​he embraces... Therefore, what is normal is the contradiction of opinions and evaluations about the same facts. “Objectivity,” then, is seen by the second school as an idea that is almost imaginary. The journalist (in the first school) is interested in questions of the type: Who is carrying out an action, when, and why? While the journalist in the second school is interested in the question: Why did this act happen?

Honest bias

Experts and researchers have long ago concluded that the first school is dominated by “alleged integrity.” As for the second, it adopts the “honest bias” approach, and this does not diminish the importance of objectivity, nor does it replace it. Al Jazeera chose honest bias in its coverage of the war on Gaza... as in all wars... as it does not betray its audience and its enlightening duty, which is placed on its shoulders. Therefore, it cannot be - as Netanyahu and his gang want - a mouthpiece for the entity, like many American and European channels that fell professionally in this war. Promoting Israeli propaganda and lies.

International legitimacy and the media function

Israel is an “occupying state”, according to international law. Therefore, the saying: “Israel’s right to defend itself” promoted by the occupation is a lie and deception by which the entity legitimizes its daily crimes against the Palestinian people, genocide, killing, destruction, displacement, and arrest. And the theft of his lands.

According to international law, once again, resistance to the occupation is a legitimate right. The Palestinian resistance’s response to the “occupation” and its crimes is a right guaranteed by international and national laws and religions. Hence, Al Jazeera acted with the highest levels of professionalism, in accordance with international legitimacy and credibility considerations. If it is bias, it is “honest bias,” which is imposed on her by professional and ethical duty and the media job.

Opinion and the other opinion

Here, we must remember the slogan that Al Jazeera raises, and actually practices, which has given it superior credibility... prominent on its screens all the time, which is “opinion, and the other opinion.” A sign of this is that it broadcasts what the military media announces to the resistance, in exchange for broadcasting the press conferences of the spokesman for the occupation army.

It also broadcasts in its bulletins and analyzes the statements of the occupation leaders, Palestinian politicians, and the Gaza government, and verifies the news from its sources on both sides of the war. Just as it hosts experienced military personnel, such as: Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi and Brigadier General Elias Hanna, and political experts from all directions, including Americans who support the occupation... although this makes it a target for criticism from some of the Arab public who love it.

Al Jazeera also broadcasts live from the battlefields, transmitting the massacres committed by the occupation army and the destruction it causes. Al Jazeera, in this case, does not invent or fabricate the videos. This is what is troubling Netanyahu... who is accustomed to his country's narrative receiving "false bias", from all Western media - with rare exceptions - promoting the lies of the occupation, which kills civilians, then claims that they are "saboteurs."

The truth and the winner of the war

In conclusion; US Senator Herman Johnson had a saying after World War I (1914-1918): “The truth is the first casualty of war.” Meaning the assassination of the truth in conflicts and wars, under bombardment fire and the sounds of cannons. Also, Harvard University political science professor Joseph Nye (78 years old) believes that “the one who wins the war is the one whose story wins in the media.”

Al Jazeera was able to record a large portion of the truth in the Gaza war... as well as in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and others. The occupation has not won the war (yet)... its story has lost in the media... while the “Palestinian narrative” has won, which “Al Jazeera” played the largest role in conveying, through documentation, analysis, news, and other opinion. This is what made Netanyahu delirious, and pushed him into the brutal war he is waging against Al Jazeera. But it is a losing war for Netanyahu, of course, as the professional, free press always wins.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.