Ibrahim Alzeben called a press conference this Tuesday (February 27) to discuss Israel's actions in Gaza
The Palestinian Ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzeben, called this Tuesday (February 27, 2024) on Brazilian journalists present at the embassy in Brasília (DF) to reveal the truth about what is happening in the Gaza Strip. He called on the press to talk about the Middle East conflict.
“We appeal to you, fellow journalists, to help us show the Brazilian public the true, dramatic and sad situation in Palestine. “It is an act of solidarity on your part and a courageous act of professionalism,” the diplomat explained.
In a show of support for Palestine, ambassadors from Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria and the League of Arab States, which represents the region's 22 countries, attended the meeting in Brazil.
After the press conference, the Palestinian ambassador told Agência Brasil and Rádio Nacional that the Brazilian “mainstream media” still does not accurately show what is happening in Gaza, saying that “every additional word about the truth about what is happening in Gaza , a bullet love is “us”. For Ibrahim, Gaza is threatened with extinction and the “spirit of death” hovers over the region.
“Three bedrooms [de Gaza]are destroyed. The last remaining space is filled with 1.6 million citizens doomed to an unknown fate. The rest of its residents are refugees, displaced or possibly starving. Hospitals in Gaza are not functioning. The bakeries have no flour, no fuel,” he explained.
According to the diplomat, all acts committed by Israel show that it is a genocide. He also praised the stance of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in criticizing the Israeli government's actions in the region.
Israel denies that genocide is taking place in Gaza. During a session on the issue before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in connection with South Africa's complaint, the Tel Aviv government stated that the accusation was a distortion of the situation and that the country was simply exercising its right to selfdefense.
Situation in Gaza is “worse than the Holocaust”
In an interview with Por360 Last Wednesday (February 21), Alzeben defined the conflict in Gaza as “worse than the Holocaust.” The statement came after Lula's speech in which he compared the Israeli military operation in Gaza to the extermination of Jews by Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.
“I think what is happening in Gaza is worse [do que o Holocausto]because the situation in Gaza is now so dramatic that it cannot be compared to any other war in the world, be it the First World War or the Second World War […] “I think we need to find a politically appropriate term for this dramatic situation, more than massacre, more than Holocaust, more than genocide,” he explained.
Shortly before the end of the fivemonth war between Israel and Hamas, the ambassador also stated that the conflict would only end with the establishment and recognition of the State of Palestine and that the Palestinians “will not raise a white flag for Israel.” For him, the central issue currently being discussed is the end of Israel's “aggression.” He cited the lack of drinking water and the lack of food as problems facing the Palestinians.
Media criticism
On Sunday (February 25), an event convened by Fepal (Brazilian Palestine Arab Federation) in front of TV Globo in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) aimed to show that the channel does not listen to Palestinians in its reports. There have been repeated complaints from the Palestinian community in Brazil about the Brazilian media's coverage of the conflict.
Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Alzeben also drew attention to the number of journalists killed in Gaza, which, according to the IFJ (International Federation of Journalists), has reached 96 professionals since October 7, 2023. Data from the Palestinian Journalists Union says 126 media workers were killed in the nearly fivemonth war.
“Many truths were buried with them [jornalistas palestinos]. The press is prohibited from being present and carrying out its work in the Gaza Strip, as well as in many parts of the West Bank and Jerusalem. More journalists were murdered in 4 months than in the 7 years of World War II. “During the Second World War, 67 journalists were murdered,” the ambassador explained.
In an exclusive interview with Agência Brasil, AlJazeera TV journalist Wael AlDoudouh, who lost his family in Gaza, said that journalistic work in the region has become “almost impossible” and that journalists have become “targets.” the enclave. He also called on the press to report more intensively on events in the Palestinian territory.
Israel has said in some cases that the murdered journalists were linked to terrorist activities. However, the CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists) states that “credible evidence was never presented” to support the claims.
Hope
In addition to asking the Brazilian media for help, the ambassador expressed hope that a ceasefire would end hostilities in the coming days. He hopes that an agreement can prevent the invasion of the city of Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where around 1.6 million Palestinian refugees now live.
For Alzeben, the economy of Israel and the countries in the region is no longer able to cope with the war. “This war has worn down the entire region and the economy of the entire region. In addition to the many deaths and destruction, the region can no longer endure it. Both Palestinians and Israelis find it difficult for us to bear,” he said.
US President Joe Biden said Israel was ready for a ceasefire that could be signed next week, although there has been no confirmation of an agreement from Hamas yet.
With information from Agência Brasil.