Why have Western journalists failed to support their colleagues in Gaza?

An article in the British Guardian criticized the failure of Western media institutions and Western journalists to defend their Palestinian colleagues, amid systematic Israeli targeting over the past 22 months in the Gaza Strip. The author of the article, Mohamed Bazi, indicated that the result of what he described as the negligence of Western journalists is reflected in Israel's continued killing of Palestinian journalists with impunity.

The author pointed out that the number of journalists who have been martyred in Gaza exceeds the number in the American Civil War, the two World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia, and the U.S. war in Afghanistan combined, according to a study conducted by the "Costs of War" project at Brown University.

The author, who works as a journalism professor at New York University, commented that the horrific numbers might be thought to motivate media and journalists around the world to condemn Israel's targeting of their Palestinian colleagues, but he noted that American media has largely remained silent.

The author added that major news agencies focused their reports on the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by Russia, while refusing to grant Palestinian journalists the same right to protection from Israeli threats and incitement.

The author pointed out that Western media is often willing to publicly criticize governments and campaign for journalists who are harassed by U.S. adversaries, but these institutions remain silent when it comes to Israel.

The author recalled what happened to Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, who was martyred in 2022, noting that the Biden administration refused to hold Israel accountable for her assassination, reflecting a lack of consequences for the occupation.

The author noted that Western media has made one demand of Israel, which is to allow foreign reporters to enter Gaza, a request that the Israeli government has refused since October 2023.

The author cited what veteran British journalist John Simpson wrote, emphasizing the need for honest eyewitness reports on major issues, commenting that this is impossible in Gaza.

The author explained that the perception of Western journalists as intermediaries for unbiased coverage undermines the professionalism and courage of the hundreds of Palestinian journalists who have sacrificed their lives while covering the Israeli war.

The author concluded by stating that the ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza has allowed Palestinian journalists like Anas Al-Sharif to convey their people's story directly to the world, while many Western media institutions remain shamefully silent.