Media must continue to highlight Israeli atrocities to the world

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 -- While the Media has a role to play in highlighting to the world the aggression and atrocities of Israeli regime on Palestine and its people, the decades long Israel-Palestine conflict is not only about two parties fighting each other.

Anadolu Agency’s Middle East editor Turgut Alp Boyraz said, hence the narratives in reporting the crisis must change to reflect the real issues on the ground,

“It is important for us to change the narrative, to showcase the viscous cycle of atrocities perpetrated by Israel.

“We need to highlight about the women and children, and the suffering and the bleak future that they are facing,”  Turgut who is based in al-Quds (Jerusalem) said during the “Harnessing 24-Hour Global Journalism on Palestine Issue” virtual forum on Tuesday.

The forum was organised by Malaysia-Indonesia Journalists Friendship Alliance (Iswami) with the participation of media participants from Malaysia, Indonesia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.  

Malaysia’s Astro AWANI Head and Editor-in-Chief Ashwad Ismail said proper strategic narrative is needed   in order to maintain the ‘stamina’ in covering the crisis.

“We have been fighting against the same atrocities for the past seven decades. But what comes after all the anger, all the condemnation?,” he asked, adding efforts need to be strengthened to bring together international community as one voice against the Israeli atrocities. 

He also suggested on harnessing the mobile technology and for media outlets to solidify the whole process of content sharing from Gaza itself. 

Meanwhile, Hardjito Warno,  Al Jazeera correspondent in Malaysia also concurred that reporting on the Palestinian cause should not be an on and off thing. 

He suggested that the media fraternity in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei should joint hands to create a data bank and share information on the Palestinian issue. 

Meanwhile, Malaysian National News Agency’s (BERNAMA) is ready to offer its numerous news platforms to Palestinian counterparts through its International News Service to help to disseminate information on the current developments in Gaza to wider audience.

Bernama has news sharing arrangements with other agencies in the region including Antara of Indonesia, as well as  being a member of regional news organisations like OANA (Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies) and NAM News Network (NNN), that provide its stories extensive outreach across the globe.

The recent tensions that started in East Jerusalem in the holy month of Ramadan and spread to Gaza after Palestinian fighters there vowed to retaliate against Israeli assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Sheikh Jarrah if they were not halted. 

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 217 Palestinians have been killed as on Tuesday, including 63 children and 36 women, since Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since May 10.

Some 1,500 others were also reportedly injured while many buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the strikes, including the al-Jalaa building which housed offices of international media Al Jazeera and the Associated Press.

 Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.

-- BERNAMA