Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief says journalists in the enclave ‘feel the silence’
Addressing the European Palestinian Network Conference in the Danish capital, Al Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh has said journalists in Gaza feel a “sense of isolation, of being alone to endure and swallow this bitterness”.
Dahdouh cited the grim toll on journalists, saying more than 200 reporters have been killed since Israel’s war began.
“Some of us feel the silence at times, bias at others, and the hesitant actions at other times are themselves part of our killing, part of our tragedy, and part of the heavy price we have paid, are still paying,” he told the audience.
Dahdouh, the network’s Gaza bureau chief, evacuated from the Strip after an Israeli attack that wounded him and killed Al Jazeera journalist Samer Abudaqa.
Israeli forces killed Dahdouh’s wife, son, daughter and grandson in October 2023, and in January 2024, killed his eldest son Hamza, who was also an Al Jazeera journalist.
Europe ignores ‘the most televised genocide of modern times’
Israeli historian and author Ilan Pappe shared his sense of shock about Europe’s response to the genocide in Gaza at the European-Palestinian Network’s conference in Copenhagen.
“I share with a lot of people a surprise at the European position,” he said. “Europe, that claims to be a model of civilisation, ignored the most televised genocide of modern times.
“What I like about the idea about a Palestinian-European Network is the need to ask a question – how come Europe behaves in an abysmal [way] … [it has] reached such a level of inhumanity, of disregard, of indifference. I wasn’t prepared for that.”
He rhetorically asked why people fly Ukrainian flags in solidarity with the war-torn European nation across the Danish capital but there are no Palestine flags visible.
“Let’s face it, there’s no genocide of Ukrainians, but there is of Palestinians.”
Putin is trying to erase the Ukrainian identity as much as Netanyahu wants to erase the Palestinian identity. In that way they're both genocides. The difference is the methodology and geography involved. The intent remains the same.
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