The Media's Shameful Coverage of The Gaza-Bound Flotilla: How Kidnapping Becomes "Intercepting"

New Column

The mainstream corporate media can’t seem to figure out how to report on the mass kidnapping and international crimes committed yesterday by Israel against the Global Sumud Flotilla bringing aid to Gaza.

The New York Times seems to think Israel only “intercepted” the 50 ships and didn’t actively and illegally kidnap the over 400 participants. If I grab someone, handcuff them, black bag them, and drag them to a prison in my country against their will — Would we call that just “intercepting” them?

The Washington Post seems to think Thunberg and others were only “detained” and not kidnapped in international waters, violating many international norms, treaties, and rules.

The Associated Press thinks the activists were “arrested” by Israel, giving the impression that the unarmed people trying to stop a genocide were somehow breaking the law in international waters.

And Fox News was the most disgusting of all — Printing a blaring headline repeating Israel’s vomitous propaganda about Greta and others having ties to Hamas. When given an option between believing unarmed civilians trying to bring baby formula to dying infants and a genocidal apartheid state, Fox News of course chose the side of the apartheid state.

Most news media are pretending there’s some kind of debate over Israel’s actions. There’s no debate. It’s yet another revolting international crime committed by Israel. In fact, it’s over 400 crimes because it’s at least one for every activist kidnapped. None of the other details truly matter.

• If there were no ongoing genocide, this would still be a crime.

• If it were one ship instead of 50, this would still be a crime.

• If the Flotilla had nobody well-known onboard instead of people like Greta Thunberg, this would still be a crime.

• If Israel had done this in Gazan waters instead of international waters, this would still be a crime.

• If Israel hadn’t murdered unarmed protesters on past flotilla efforts, this would still be a crime.

• If Israel hadn’t already bombed some of the ships using drones, this would still be a crime.

• If Israel didn’t have a genocide case against it at the UN right now, this would still be a crime.

• If Israel and Donald Trump hadn’t admitted they were involved in ethnic cleansing, this would still be a crime.

This is not over. More boats have already begun heading to Gaza. We must keep fighting.