Zionistic reporters relate first-hand experiences from the Gaza War front

 

Israel reporting by editors, Alex Traiman
of JNS, and Joel Pollak of Breitbart at RJC

At the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership Meeting last weekend, attendees filled a session (without microphones) to hear Alex Traiman, CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief of the Jewish New Syndicate (JNS) and Joel Pollak,  senior-editor-at-large for Breitbart News, discuss the immediate action taken by JNS after the attacks on October 7th. Traiman personally conducted about 70 interviews on various media outlets and highlights the importance of reliable and accurate reporting in the midst of a rapidly changing conflict. Traiman was on the phone with the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson and the prime minister's advisor, who confirmed that it was actually a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket that had hit the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and not the IDF. He emphasizes the need for journalists to be skeptical of narratives and claim to know the truth and to actively seek out firsthand information in order to understand complex events like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 

• 00:00:00 In this section, Alex Traiman discusses the immediate action taken by JNS after the attacks on October 7th, which saw the bombing of a hospital in Gaza. JNS launched an immediate campaign for mainstream media, with Traiman personally conducting about 70 interviews on various media outlets. The information war, alongside the soldiers on the front lines, was one of the key battlefields in the conflict. On October 17th, 10 days after fighting, rumors began to circulate that the IDF may not have been behind the Hamas-alleged strike on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which they claimed resulted in the death of 500 people. Traiman was on the phone with the IDF spokesperson and the prime minister's advisor, who confirmed that it was actually a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket that had hit the hospital, not the IDF. JNS was the first news organization to report this, and Traiman discusses the importance of reliable and accurate reporting in the midst of a rapidly changing conflict.
  
  
• 00:05:00  Traiman and Pollak address the attacks in Israel and the psychological warfare being waged by Hamas through their control of the narrative, taking of hostages, and misrepresentation of events. They argue that the media plays a major role in spreading false news and undermining public support for Israeli military action. Traiman recounts his own experiences in Israel, where he was taken to witness the devastation caused by the attacks and interviewed volunteers in the affected communities. He emphasizes the impact that these experiences had on him, stating that his colleague's discovery of food in a refrigerator left for the holiday weekend only added to the sense of tragedy and despair he felt about the situation. Pollak also shares his own observations from Israel, including seeing evidence of the attacks and speaking to Israeli government officials. He highlights the importance of journalists being able to access firsthand information in order to accurately report on events, and the impact that false reporting can have on public opinion and decision making. Overall, the two speakers reiterate the need for journalists to be skeptical of narratives and claim to know the truth, and to actively seek out firsthand information in order to understand complex events like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  
  
• 00:10:00 Mr. Pollak recounts their experience of witnessing the aftermath of the 2014 Israel/Hamas conflict, specifically on the last day of the Sukkot holiday. The witness reports seeing devastated families with their Sukkot decorations destroyed, and observes a tight connection to the events in Gaza at that time. The next day, Pollak was taken to a military base where he witnessed the process of identifying the dead and the lack of recognition afforded to some bodies. The speaker also recalls seeing raw footage of the Hamas attacks, including a particularly distressing scene of a father and two sons trying to escape from their home before being killed by a terrorist. The witness reports feeling very disturbed and sad about the experience, and notes that it has had a lasting impact on his memory.
  
  
• 00:15:00 Mr. Pollak begins with a discussion of the bravery, resilience, and humanity of ordinary people in Israel during the Palestinian rocketing of Israel proper. He indicates the determination of Israel's population and leaders to obtain the release of the hostages - as well as to eliminate Hamas' ability to wage hostilities against the Israeli citizenry.
  
  

  

  Audience poses questions at Republican Jewish Coalition forum with
  Alex Traiman and Joel Pollak
  

• 00:20:00  Joel Pollak and Alex Traiman answer audience questions regarding the Islamist attacks and the need for the Israeli government to take action against Hamas. They highlight the danger of running out of Iron Dome rockets, and point out that Israel has the necessary weaponry to fight a war which does not involve a long struggle or humanitarian concerns. They also discuss the reluctance of the international community to support Israel in this conflict, and mention the Prime Ministers of several countries who have recently visited Israel. Joel Pollak points out that Israel will try to obtain the release of hostages, but emphasizes the importance of preventing future hostage-taking and ensuring the security of the Israeli people.  He also touches on the possible impact of the conflict on normalization with Saudi Arabia, noting that the Saudi government is closely watching the situation and may not be supportive of normalization if Israel and Saudi Arabia were to make peace.
  
  
• 00:25:00 In this section of the video, Alex Traiman and Joel Pollak discuss the potential impact of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. They believe that Saudi Arabia sees Israel as the only power in the region capable of defeating Iran and that if Israel defeats Hamas in a decisive way, the normalization process will move forward quickly. However, if Hamas manages to claim a victory, even if it's not real, it could put a pause in the relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. They also discuss the plans to destroy the tunnels in Gaza and the risks involved in fighting in them. Regarding supplies to the IDF, they suggest that Zaka, an organization that provides first responders and support services, is the best place for people to donate if they don't have a specific set of people to go through for a specific request. They also mention that the United States would likely use diplomatic and economic sanctions to support Israel in the conflict.
  
  
• 00:30:00 Mr. Traiman discusses the recent military activity on the Lebanon border between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese Islamic Liberation Organization (Hezbollah) targeted Israel with anti-tank missiles, drones, and attacks from southern Lebanon, with the threat of Kamas being greater than that of Hezbollah. As the border in the South is currently under Hezbollah control, it is seen as a more immediate threat, but protecting the home front from the threat of Hezbollah missiles remains a priority. The US presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, including two carrier groups, provides a sophisticated missile defense system that could protect Israel from the threat of Hezbollah's rapid-fire Rockets. The speaker emphasizes the importance of bringing the issue of Iran's nuclear threat back onto the political agenda, gaps in the observation of the enemy's actions, which has important applied in Israel.
  
  
• 00:35:00 Mr. Traiman discusses the threat posed by Iran, and the possibility of war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He explains that Iran understands the potential for a coordinated strike if the two American carriers in the Eastern Mediterranean are present, and that there is a possibility that submarines may also join the attack. However, he also suggests that Iran is likely to hold back on aggression for the time being because they know it constitutes an existential threat to their own power, and that the US is not likely to directly engage in fighting with Hezbollah. In terms of journalism, Mr. Pollak  expresses his belief that journalists are more likely to cover personal stories of suffering than the actual events, and that he does not believe there are any journalists who will change their coverage of Israel to actual journalistic standards.
  
  
• 00:40:00 Alex Traiman and Joel Pollak discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with a focus on the recent attacks in Gaza. They note that while reporters on the ground in Gaza are well-equipped with helmets and flak jackets, those reporting from behind the cameras are casual. The issue at hand, according to Traiman and Pollak, is the sympathy that journalists tend to have for the perceived underdog party (Palestinian) in a conflict. This results in the Israeli military being at a disadvantage in terms of public perception since it is trying to do what is necessary to protect its citizens, even if it may result in civilian casualties. They also note that the definition of proportionality is often lost in the discussion and arguments regarding this conflict, but the goal of removing Hamas from power makes it clear that there is a greater risk to civilian casualties.
  
  
• 00:45:00 Answering more audience questions, speakers challenge the reliability of the statistics coming from the Palestinian Gaza Health Ministry regarding casualties in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. They question the accuracy of these statistics, pointing out that many of the depictions of suffering are dramatized for international consumption. They also discuss the example of a young man who allegedly depicted himself as a victim in two separate videos, one during the attack and the other after the bombing, with the intention of creating a meme that portrays Israel as responsible for the suffering. The speakers emphasize the importance of considering the percentage of combatants and legitimate targets in war when analyzing death statistics in conflict zones.