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AP Reporter Watches Own Home Destroyed, via YouTube, in Gaza
Read More:
Ehud Barak, Fatah, Gaza, Gaza City, Hamas, Israel, Israel Airstrikes, Israel Gaza Airstrikes, Israel Gaza Operation, Israel Ground Invasion, Israeli Airstrikes, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Territories,
World News
In one of the most moving accounts of the war in Gaza, Ibrahim Barzak, the Associated Press's chief correspondent there for 17 years -- called "the best reporter in Gaza" by a Jewish colleague -- today wrote of watching his own home destroyed on YouTube. But who is Ibrahim Barzak?
First, his account. Here is full link, but an excerpt now:
I live alone in my office. My wife and two young children moved in with her father after our apartment was shattered. The neighborhood mosque, where I have prayed since I was a child, had its roof blown off. All the government buildings on my beat have been obliterated. After days of Israeli shelling, the city and life I have known no longer exist.
And:
Three days after Israel began its airstrikes against Hamas militants on Dec. 27, my apartment building was shaken by bombs aimed at a nearby Hamas-run government compound. My brother took a picture of the room where my boys, 2-year-old Hikmet and 6-month-old Ahmed, once slept. Their toys were broken, shrapnel had punched through the closet and the bedroom wall had collapsed. I don't know if we will ever go back.
There are other pictures that haunt me. The Israeli army issued a video of the bombing of the Hamas-run government compound, which it posted on YouTube. In it, I also can see my home being destroyed, and I watch it obsessively.Some of my colleagues lost their houses to the shelling as well, and are sleeping on mattresses spread across the floors of an apartment upstairs from The Associated Press bureau.
But who is Ibrahim Barzak? His late father was also an AP correspondent and he inherited his position, more or less, from him. He's been covering the Gaza conflict in the past weeks, just yesterday sharing a by-line on the main account of the horrific shelling of the U.N. school.
A colleague, Ron Kampeas of JTA, the well-respected news service "for the Jewish people," tells us much more about hm today in a remarkable posting, calling him "the best reporter in Gaza." Kampeas has known him for about 17 years, since they worked together at AP.
Kampeas writes:
He is an assiduous, just the facts reporter. He never raises his voice and always asks the tough questions. He has risked his life more than once for his job, and more than once for pissing off the Palestinian powers that be.
So I bristle -- I bristle hard -- when some moron who thinks he is making some kind of case for Israel writes about how Palestinian reporters are implacably biased (and I wonder whether these fools realize how hard those accusations make it for Israelis and Jews who are reporting in the region)."
Read the whole thing. As well as Barzak's account of his personal loss.
UPDATE: Barzak still on the job reporting on Thursday, helping with this shocking report.
*
Greg Mitchell is editor of Editor & Publisher. His latest book, on Iraq and the media, is "So Wrong for So Long."
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In the Shadow of Airstrikes in Jerusalem
With the coming war and intifada on my mind, I realize that thousands of rockets have been fired into Israel in recent years, yet because we in Jerusalem don't get hit by them, it has always seemed removed.
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It's Time for a Sustained Focus on a Lasting Middle East Peace
What we continue to lack is the kind of real political solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that could finally make a "ceasefire" endure.
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Gaza: Fight at the End of the Tunnel?
Any ceasefire must include an ironclad commitment by Egypt to cooperate fully with Israel to shut Hamas' tunnel network once and for all whatever Hamas' political or military wings decide tomorrow in Cairo.
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The Lesson Israel Should Have Never Learned
Israel, torn in anger and exaggerated feelings of vulnerability, is unlikely to stop bombing until it realizes that is has once again shot itself in the foot.
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This is ethnic cleansing, plain and simple. And it was idiotic for Israel to believe that could get away with it in this day and age. Did they think the rest of us were really as callous and cruel and self-interested as they are?
They ARE getting away with it - don't you know that the entire Congress is in session right now to pass ANOTHER resolution/bill in complete support of Israel and complete condemnation of Hamas.
They have gotten away with it with impunity. As for Barack Obama - he has devastated me to my core with his silence and the people he has placed in key positions of foreign policy influence.
It is political suicide in this country to go up against, or even criticize Israel. Anyone wonder why?
I think that's about to change. Israel's crimes cannot go ignored and unpunished this time.
Excellent piece on Mr. Barzak, a true journalist.
What is this world coming to?
Thanks for the piece. It is heart-breaking.... but at least it is news I can believe.
This is nothing more than disrespect of a people, a civilization and of human life. Yet our government who prides itself on helping the underdogs are sitting around turning a blind eye to the cruelty. And for what? For a chance to be kissed by grace. I don't think the higher powers will be graceful at our government's disdain of human life.
We have to be very careful when it comes to cruelty around the world. We stopped a madman who was feeding children to animals, raping women and children in front of their famlies and look where it got us.
It wasn't stopping him that got us into trouble. It was taking his place that did.
It seems like journalists have become targets in war zones. I wonder why?
this war is great
Obama drew so much attention to his pectorals. He even had me saying, "Damn, he fine!" Unfortunately, he says barely boo about Gaza. His excuse rings hollow. He spoke out concerning the economy. Hmmmm. Barry, why don't you go take your shirt off on Jala Street? Man up and tell us what you really think. I want to know. I've seen enough footage of dead children to last me a couple of lifetimes.
Actually, I gotta say on this one, I think he's right not to say much. This is a hornets' nest like no other, and he needs the full weight of the presidency behind him before he gets involved.
The more I think about it, SB, the more I agree with you. The Obama Presidency is in a very fragile stage right now, and given the ties between Israel and the Republican Party (well, and the Democratic Party, but that's less relevant in this statement because) it would be very easy for Republicans to politicize and drive a partisan wedge that will last well into Obama's term if he takes any action which can be construed as sabotaging Bush's legacy.
Unfortunately, I still have my nightmare scenario that Obama is going to turn out to walk in the footsteps of presidents past with regards to Israel. That's seeming less likely -- at this point, Israel has turned virtually the entire world except the US against them, and even in the US support has whittled down to just about 50/50.
I expect we will hear what Obama thinks about this situation on Jan. 20, during his inaugural address. I'll be shocked and profoundly disturbed if he merely reiterates the Bush administration's simple-minded "you brought on yourself, Hamas" position.
My friend, I read your posts often - I sincerely, SINCERELY hope your instincts and observations are correct. Right now I feel hopelessness and rage.
Important stuff, Greg--thanks for getting this out. Best wishes, Mr. Barzak...
in 2009 these wars are barbaric
Stay safe, Ibrahim Barzak. His just the facts reporting, completely without judgement is chilling. It appears that a lot of historical landmarks that predated Hamas, and some of which possibly predated the state of Israel itself have been leveled. And the people... he did not write too much about blood and gore, but one's mind easily fills in the blanks.
Stay safe.
Very sad. It breaks my heart to see the inhumanity that is going on.
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