In recent events, after a daring rescue operation by the Israeli Defense Forces saving four Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza by Hamas, there’s been a backlash against Israel. Unbelievably, most of this backlash is coming from critics who forget that it’s the Palestinians who initiated this conflict.
CNN decided to feature Omar Baddar, a known anti-Israel figure who previously directed the Arab American Institute. He made some pretty outrageous claims blaming the U.S for valuing the lives of Israelis over Palestinians. This blatant bias was incited by a statement from Kamala Harris about mourning lost innocent lives. Boy, did Baddar twist that sentiment. He went so far to suggest the rescue operation was a massacre, criticizing that anyone celebrating the reunion of the freed hostages with their families was essentially disregarding Palestinian lives.
Baddar didn’t stop at criticizing the U.S, he also took a jab at Israel’s policy towards Palestinians. He expressed disappointment with our government focusing on the released hostages and ignoring the apparent value of Palestinian lives. Baddar didn’t spare any words; he even made a hypothetical scenario reversing the nationalities of the hostages, suggesting it wouldn’t be celebrated if Palestinians were rescued.
Nevermind the fact that Palestinians kicked off this war, or that Israel was defending its people against terrorist attacks from Hamas. According to Baddar, Israel is the prevailing villain in the story. He was also granted more airtime just a month ago where he openly supported boycott against Israel and accused it of committing atrocities.
The media is notorious for presenting biased content, but entertaining such extreme views without any pushback is detrimental. It neglects the truth, which in this case is that Israel was freeing its citizens from a terrorist group. It’s no secret that the war led to unfortunate loss of lives, but let’s not forget which side kicked off the violence.
In conclusion, highlighting such views fuels the ongoing conflict, rather than bridging gaps. CNN’s platform could’ve been utilized to promote rational discussions and debates instead of pushing personal biases and amplifying divisive narratives. Media outlets should deploy their influence responsibly rather than stoke the flames of an already burning conflict. After all, truth and balance should be the focus, not irrational blame games.
