Support for Palestine Will Cost You - Let's Keep Going (Part 1)
People are getting fired, dropped, "cancelled" - but we can't stop
In 2021, Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip with air strikes for 11 days, killing at least 253 Palestinians, 66 of them children. 1,900 Palestinians were wounded. Zooming in to the present, 20,400+ Palestinians have been murdered by Israel since October 7th, 2023–more than half women and children. 1.9 million Palestinians (80% of the population) have been displaced). 1,000 Palestinian children in Gaza have undergone amputations without anesthesia.
Never forget the atrocities committed by Israel before and in between and yet to come.
I’m highlighting that this is all coming to a head after many, many decades of genocide, with consequences for anyone who speaks out about Israel’s genocide–anyone who speaks up for Palestinians.
Yet, we all have to keep doing it. We can’t be silent.
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Let’s Talk Media Complicity
On May 15, 2021, Israel destroyed the al-Jalaa building in Gaza City, which housed offices of The Associated Press and Al Jazeera. At the time, president and CEO of the AP, Gary Pruitt, said that the IDF was fully aware of the location of the offices and that journalists were present.
A dozen AP journalists and freelancers barely escaped with their lives.
You’d think the AP and other media would … care about this. They do not.
On May 20, 2021, Associated Press staff received a memo that news associate Emily Wilder was fired following conservative zionist insistence because she’d been part of Students for Justice in Palestine in college. (Here was her response).
The AP has learned nothing. It seems like no one has learned anything.
Yet, we all see what’s happening.
We have social media and video and eyes and hearts.
Don’t we?
DON’T WE?
Support for Palestine has been costly for people across the world since Zionists (which are separate from Jews–shoutout to Jewish Voice for Peace!) decided to make stuff up that has never been in the Jewish faith and wage a worldwide disinformation campaign for their ends.
This year, 2023, MANY journalists have lost their jobs and/or been punished for being anti-genocide.
Jackson Frank: Philadelphia sports reporter fired by PhillyVoice.com for tweets supporting Palestine.
Zahraa Al-Akhrass: Fired by Canada’s Global news for social media posts supporting Palestine.
Issam Adwan: AP Gaza reporter suspended for social media posts calling out Israel’s apartheid regime.
6 BBC Reporters: Six Arab journalists faced an internal investigation at the BBC for an “anti-Israel bias” on social media.
Steve Bell: Longtime cartoonist for The Guardian was fired for a political cartoon calling out the atrocities of Netanyahu.
Hosam Salam: (this was 2022, but no matter) New York Times journalist was fired for supporting Palestine on social media.
Medhi Hassan: Hassan’s popular show was dropped by MSNBC. He was one of the only news anchors on a major broadcast outlet speaking up against Israel’s genocide on Gaza.
David Velasco: Editor-in-Chief of Artforum magazine was fired for standing up for Palestine in an open letter.
Michael Eisen: Editor-in-Chief (a Jewish man with family from Israel) of academic science journal eLife was fired for supporting Palestine in a retweet.
There are more.
Israel is Murdering Journalists en Masse
The Committee to Protect Journalists, at last update (and this is likely a lowballed figure according to other reports and that fact that assaults by Israel are ramping up) reports that as of December 23rd, at least 69 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel.
Additionally:
15 journalists reported injured
2 journalists reported missing
20 journalists reported arrested
Assaults
Threats
Cyberattacks
Censorship
Killings of family members
Obviously, it’s not just journalists who are targeted. It’s just telling to me that Israel and corporate media (also … “independent” media) want to silence the truth from getting out. Without journalism, we’re in the dark.
No One is Safe From Being “Cancelled” … for Not Supporting GENOCIDE
Melissa Barrera: Actress fired from Scream VI (she continues to be AWESOME on her socials and has not backed down) for supporting Palestine.
Maha Dakhil: CAA agent who represents Tom Cruise, Madonna, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Ava DuVernay and Reese Witherspoon was forced to step down from leadership roles for reposting support for Palestine. Aaron Sorkin dropped her as his agent. (reportedly, Tom Cruise saved her from being fired which may be the only good thing he’s done)
Students for Justice in Palestine: Banned in Florida by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Schools who do not comply face “necessary adverse employment actions and suspension.”
Susan Sarandon: Oscar-winning actress dropped by UTA for speaking at a pro-Palestine rally.
Melanie Martinez: Singer’s mic was cut after her dancers unfurled a flag showing support for Palestine.
Bella Hadid: Model of Palestinian heritage who has received death threats and lost jobs, and “friends,” for supporting Palestine.
Gigi Hadid: Bella’s sister, also a model – the family has received death threats for support of Palestine.
Viet Thanh Nguyen: Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist had an event canceled by 92nd Street Y in NYC after signing a letter critical of Israel.
Mia Khalifa: Media personality and former adult star was dropped by Playboy for supporting Palestine.
Students graduating from law school - offers rescinded from BigLaw for supporting Palestine.
*** Jenn’s Note: Tara Strong was removed from the list as her reason for firing was NOT for supporting Palestine. 7:20 pm Dec 27, 2023
President Joe Biden has even threatened to run over a journalist with a CAR for asking about Israel’s atrocities! #ThrowbackThursday
We Have to Keep Going - For the Children, for the Future, for Palestine
Part 2 coming soon.
As a thank you for your support, I’m offering a special discount on paid subscriptions–30% off! Annual or Founding helps a TON if it’s in your budget.
This support allows me–and eventually US–to report on crucial stories across various states, bringing the realities of what’s happening right to your inbox. Let’s expose the bastards!
Here’s to the next year of Courage News, and many more to come.
Please, please support if you can.
Prefer to outright donate at any amount to keep Courage News going? That would be incredible!
To donate to Courage News/keep the lights on (literally!), please visit PayPal.me/content, Stripe Donation Link, or subscribe at CourageNews.Substack.com.
Solidarity Forever,
Jenn Dize
P.S. you can email me at jenn@couragenews.com
Quick note — Tara Strong did NOT support Palestine, she is an avid Israel supporter! https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/what-did-tara-strong-say-twitter-controversy-explained-as-boxtown-recasts-voice-actor-over-israel-hamas-posts/ar-AA1ihpVU
Please correct!