Israeli Envoy Criticizes Media and Leaders Supporting Extremist Groups
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Synopsis
Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar criticizes leaders and media backing radical Islamists while neglecting Palestinian rights. He emphasizes the need for peace and deradicalization in the region, highlighting the challenges posed by biased media narratives and education systems promoting violence.
Key Takeaways
- The need for mutual recognition of rights for peace.
- Condemnation of media propaganda supporting extremism.
- Challenges of deradicalizing societies in Gaza.
- Importance of unbiased journalism in conflict coverage.
- Shared goal of peaceful coexistence must be prioritized.
New Delhi, Feb 26 (NationPress) The Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Wednesday expressed concerns regarding leaders and political groups, including those in India, who advocate for Palestinian rights while remaining silent about the atrocities committed by terrorist organizations like Hamas and the significant sacrifices made by the people of Israel in their quest for peace in the region.
"We acknowledge Palestinians who seek to coexist peacefully with us and are willing to acknowledge our right to self-determination; we are ready to recognize their rights in return. We can engage in peace negotiations. However, those who deny our rights while pursuing Palestinian rights through illegitimate means must be unequivocally rejected. We hope that peace-loving leaders and parties, whether in India or elsewhere, will join us in the effort to create a world free from violence," Azar stated in an exclusive interview with IANS.
The experienced diplomat emphasized the necessity for all parties to recognize a shared objective: peace.
"Our desire is to live in peace. We believe that individuals in our region deserve this, and we can fulfill everyone's aspirations, provided they do not seek to obliterate the other side," he added.
The Israeli Ambassador also criticized various media outlets in both the Middle East and the West for what he described as propaganda that supports radical Islamists.
"This poses a challenge to us and to the civilized world, as the values promoted by these channels advocate violence against non-Muslims. This is concerning. Additionally, many Western outlets display significant bias due to their reporters, particularly those focusing on the Middle East and working in Arabic, being part of this biased network," Azar remarked.
Israel has accused the BBC of airing a recent documentary about Gaza that featured individuals connected to the Hamas terrorist organization.
"It is well-known that the BBC Arabic service employs numerous individuals affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Thus, the content produced by the BBC Arabic can be problematic. Another issue we encounter is that terrorist groups in Gaza often masquerade as journalists. We have seen instances, such as the BBC documentary, where a child featured had a father who was a Hamas operative. Many people fail to discern the difference and do not verify the stories. This propaganda from terrorist organizations often goes unchallenged. These are significant challenges we must confront," the Ambassador noted.
The Israeli diplomat highlighted that often, individuals working in these media outlets either ideologically sympathize with the Muslim Brotherhood or other jihadist groups or fail to fact-check and background check their sources. "This leads to biased coverage, which is concerning. It poses a major challenge..."
The primary challenge facing Israeli authorities is not only to eradicate terrorism from the region but also to deradicalize society.
"We aspire to live in a thriving country. We are committed to defending our families and protecting what is vital to us, as we have no other place to go. This gives us a significant advantage against the radicals. We must work together to engage with people and deradicalize societies. This is a pressing challenge we face in the Gaza Strip. Since Hamas took control 18 years ago, they have systematically radicalized the education system, teaching every child in Gaza that their role is to destroy Israel and kill Jews. This narrative must change; without a transformation in the education system, the future will be bleak," he concluded.
