State Dept Condemns Killing Of Journalists… Unless They’re Palestinian

Fact checked

Heather Nauert slammed the murder of journalists, except those commited by Israeli soldiers

US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert wants freedom from oppression for all journalists, unless they are Palestinian and the oppressor is Israel.

She said that the US, is “always saddened by the loss of life,” but “Israel has a right to defend itself.”

Speaking on World Press Freedom Day, Nauert started her briefing by praising the State Department press pool and demanding accountability for the “apparent assassination” of a BBC journalist in Afghanistan earlier this week.

RT reports: She then profusely condemned the many violations of journalists’ rights across the world. Among the perpetrators, she listed Myanmar, Egypt, Turkey, Tanzania, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malta, Mexico and, of course, China and Russia. All of them were chastised as oppressive governments that repress, detain or outright murder unwanted journalists.

Once Nauert was done with her opening speech (which included congratulating one of the journalists present on her promotion and praising another’s dress choice), she moved on to other topics – but was pulled back on track by the first reporter to ask a question:

“Would you also condemn the recent deaths of journalists, Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip?”

Nauert answered that too many journalists die across the world, and the State Department can’t mention them all.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=416&v=VHAzex6cl4Q

She said that the US, of course, is “always saddened by the loss of life,” but “Israel has a right to defend itself.”

Israel has been defending itself from Palestinian protesters across the border in Gaza for a month now. Within that time, the defensive action, which includes live gunfire, has claimed 45 lives – two of them journalists’ – and caused 6,000 injuries, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) says the Gazans were rioting, throwing improvised explosives and trying to break through the border fence.

When pressured further, Nauert claimed no detailed knowledge of any journalists killed or injured by the IDF, and ultimately told the pool reporters to go ask the Israeli government.

1 Comment

  1. Niamh should learn and remember two things-
    1. twisting facts or misrepresenting context leads to a lack of credibility (see CNN)
    2. war journalists know their life is on the line when they cover a war zone

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.