🧵 While everyone is focusing right now on the return of the hostages, the next stage of the deal and the uncertain future of Gaza, things must be said about the body that produced HAMAS's "theater of horror" and is responsible for framing of the conflict and other news for a… pic.twitter.com/vT4l1nfmYT
— Ksenia Svetlova كسنيا سفطلوفا (@KseniaSvetlova) February 1, 2025
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While everyone is focusing right now on the return of the hostages, the next stage of the deal and the uncertain future of Gaza, things must be said about the body that produced HAMAS's "theater of horror" and is responsible for framing of the conflict and other news for a huge part of the Arab speaking Middle East.
I remember well how in 2006 when Arabic Al Jazeera's entire senior leadership, including GM Wadah Khanfar, arrived in Gaza to oversee the coverage of elections in Palestinian Autonomy. These elections were won by the HAMAS. Their presence wasn't coincidental – Qatar, Al Jazeera's owner, was hosting HAMAS's spiritual guide Sheikh Yusuf al- Qaradawi, who had his own religious show "Al-Sharia wa al Haya" on the network. During the second intifada it did everything possible to increase the hate and inject its poison into millions of households in the Middle East.
Fast forward to today: the evidence that pours from HAMAS despicable "ceremonies" of hostages release indicates that Al Jazeera was involved in production of these grotesque spectacles where captives were forced to smile, wave, and sign papers.
Why? Because as the most watched Arab media outlet, it carefully shapes the narrative and the framing of the conflict for millions: HAMAS "won," Gaza's destruction was "justified," the hostages are "prisoners", political Islam is "triumphant." Meanwhile, Gazans criticizing HAMAS? Their voices are cut off air. I watched Arabic Al Jazeera every day this week. Gazans who wanted to honestly speak about their anger with HAMAS that started a war without consulting anyone and sacrificed their property and lives, were taken off the air. Channel's motto once was "An opinion and a different opinion". What a joke.
Qatar poses as "neutral mediator" while its media arm glorifies terrorism, omits HAMAS's brutality against both Israelis & Palestinians, and incites against Arab states seeking peace & development. Why many people in the Arab world do not know about the atrocities of 10/07 and doubt they ever happened? They watch Al-Jazeera.
This isn't journalism. This is a state-backed operation more dangerous than Russian propaganda networks (banned in the EU and the US). Al Jazeera doesn't just distort reality – it manufactures it.
Time to recognize: Al Jazeera isn't media. It's a weapon in Qatar's arsenal, aimed at regional stability and truth itself. The West shouldn't tolerate this hypocrisy any longer. It's time for a full stop.
Mick Hartley 
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