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Brendan O’Neill: Woke western media keen to believe Hamas lies about Al-Shifa

Published

10 months ago

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This is not a noble hunt for ‘the truth’ — it’s the sickness of post-truth thinking, where nothing as trifling as evidence can ever be allowed to interfere with ideology

Al-Shifa Hospital
This screen grab taken from security camera footage released by the Israeli army shows Hamas fighters leading hostages into Al-Shifa Hospital on Nov. 7. Photo by Israeli Army/AFP

We need to talk about the pathological distrust of Israel. About the speed and relish with which our media elites dismiss every Israeli claim about the war in Gaza. Consider the Battle of Al-Shifa Hospital. Israeli officials have offered up ample proof that the hospital was used as a military base by Hamas. They’ve shown us caches of weapons, video footage of gun-toting, knife-wielding men hurrying hostages through corridors, a vast tunnel that is 10 metres down and 55 metres long. And yet it is all breezily discounted. This is not healthy skepticism of “war propaganda” — it’s a dogmatic refusal to accept a single thing the Jewish state says.

The morbid disbelief of Israeli evidence has reached insane levels in recent days. When Israel Defence Force (IDF) commanders displayed the Kalashnikovs, ammunition, hand grenades and bullet-proof vests they found at Al-Shifa, the woke media shrugged. These are just “small stashes” of weapons, said the BBC in its best haughty voice. This begs the question of how much weaponry Britain’s public broadcaster thinks it is acceptable for a fascist movement to store in a hospital. Ten guns? Twenty? “Those piles of Kalashnikovs” are “frankly not convincing,” said the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen with superb derision. Maybe they belong to the hospital’s “security department,” he said.

Left observers have been alarmingly cavalier about the weapons. “A few bits of weaponry” is how one of the people at Novara Media put it. CNN published a ridiculous “exposé” of how the IDF’s display of Hamas weapons seemed to be “rearranged.” In some media clips there were more weapons than in other media clips. Yes, because more “terrorist assets” were discovered “throughout the day,” said the IDF. Too late for rational explanations, guys: CNN’s “exposé” had already spread like a pox through social media where Islamists and racists giddily cited it as proof that those sneaky Israelis planted the weapons to try to frame poor Hamas.

On Sunday, following Israel’s release of CCTV footage showing armed men hauling bloodied hostages into Al-Shifa, things got really ridiculous. All I see are “injured hostages” being taken for “medical treatment,” said Guardian columnist Owen Jones. That does not justify “Israel’s massacre of the hospital,” he said. Yes, the famously humanitarian Hamas, always keen to care for the civilians it violates and brutalizes. One of the Hamas terrorists in the CCTV clip seems to be wielding a meat cleaver. The others have Kalashnikovs — or a “few bits of weaponry,” as I think we’re meant to say. These videos are damning in the extreme. That heavily armed terrorists are able to move with impunity through the hospital’s corridors is strong proof that they enjoy some form of dominion there. Anyone who says otherwise is clearly so blinded by Israelophobia that they can no longer see what’s in front of their faces.

And now there’s the tunnel. Israel has released footage of a vast tunnel found under a canopy on the hospital grounds. Also under the canopy was a pick-up truck packed with weapons, similar to the ones Hamas used in its pogrom of Oct. 7. The CNN hacks who visited the tunnel Sunday night said, no doubt through gritted teeth, that it looks like “compelling” evidence of Hamas malfeasance. “But” — you knew there was a but — “even then it was unclear what (the tunnel) was or how far it went down.” Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News said Israel is “gradually building evidence of Hamas military activity (at Al-Shifa),” and you could almost sense the disappointment in his voice. But it does not “amount to evidence of a Hamas command and control centre” in the hospital.

 

They will never be satisfied, will they? They’re shown stashes of lethal weapons, grenades, military clothing. They’re shown videos of Hamas pushing hostages around the hospital. They’re shown a Hamas-style truck with guns in it. They’re shown a tunnel that leads to a blast door with a “gunhole for Hamas to shoot through.” And again and again they say: “We’re not convinced.” The bodies of two Israeli hostages were found close to Al-Shifa. I swear we’re two or three think pieces away from some journalist wondering out loud if the only reason those departed souls were near the hospital is because lovely Hamas took them there for “medical treatment” but it turned out to be too late.

It gets worse. They’re not only dismissing the discoveries of the past few days but also a truth that’s been known for years: that Hamas, unquestionably, has turned Al-Shifa into a hellhole base for its sinister operations. The memory-holing of the historical facts we know about Al-Shifa has been extraordinary. You won’t believe Israel? Fine, maybe you’ll believe Amnesty International. It published a long, detailed report about Hamas’s torture of Palestinians during the Israel-Gaza conflict of 2014. That conflict resuscitated Hamas-Fatah civil tensions in Gaza, leading to the commission of “serious human-rights abuses” — including abduction, torture and summary execution — by Hamas terrorists against Palestinians suspected of siding with Fatah.

Where did these crimes take place? Al-Shifa. Hamas used the hospital, “including the outpatients’ clinic area,” to “detain, interrogate, torture and otherwise ill-treat suspects, even as other parts of the hospital continued to function as a medical centre,” said Amnesty. Got that? The exact thing Israel accuses Hamas of doing was already discovered by Amnesty years ago. A former Fatah official who was “seriously assaulted” in his home by Hamas’s henchmen told Amnesty he refused to go to Al-Shifa for treatment because “any member of Fatah or the (Palestinian Authority) going there would end up with worse injuries.” We know our woke elites won’t listen to Israelis, but maybe they’ll listen to Palestinians, many of whom have known for years that Al-Shifa isn’t safe.

Or maybe they’ll believe PBS, the esteemed broadcaster in the United States. In 2009, PBS spoke with a senior doctor at Al-Shifa who said Hamas terrorists are “hiding either in the basement or in a separate underground area underneath the hospital,” and they are “aware that they are putting civilians in harm’s way.” Or perhaps they’ll believe the huge numbers of Al-Shifa’s doctors who went on strike for a month in 2007 to protest against Hamas’s grotesque persecution of Fatah-aligned medics. The striking doctors were calling on Hamas to “leave politics out of the health system” and to “stop using its armed forces against medical personnel.” Does that sound like a movement that respects the sanctity of medical spaces?

The proof of Hamas’s criminal misuse of Al-Shifa as a base for torture, murder and warmongering is abundant. Palestinian dissidents have pointed to it. Amnesty has documented the Room 101-style horrors committed by Hamas’s “Internal Security officers” there. Israel has shown us weapons, trucks, tunnels, hostages. Anyone still saying “Hmm” following almost two decades’ worth of proof that Hamas exploits Al-Shifa has clearly left the realm of reason and entered the hell of dogma. This is not skepticism, it’s denialism. It is not a noble hunt for “the truth” of war — it’s the sickness of post-truth thinking, where nothing as trifling as evidence can ever be allowed to interfere with one’s ideological bias. Which in this case is that Israel is evil and always lies.

It isn’t hard to work out why so many in the woke elites, from CNN to the influencer left, are clinging for dear life to the lie that Al-Shifa was a normal hospital. It’s because they have staked so much on this battle in the Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s conquering of Al-Shifa is, in their eyes, the “war crime” that proves beyond doubt that Israel is uniquely malevolent among the nations of earth, and that they, in contrast, are righteous for opposing it. Every piece of evidence that points to the true war crime being Hamas’s, this fascistic movement that is even willing to hide lethal weaponry among the sick and the newborn and elderly, is a blow not just to their infantile narrative about Israel-Palestine, but also to their own moral prestige, their own cultural authority to determine what is “right” and “wrong.” They experience Israel’s assault on Hamas’s base at Al-Shifa as an assault on their own reputations — and they are right to.

Skepticism? Please. In instantly disbelieving everything Israel says, these people implicitly buy everything Hamas says. Their Israelophobia translates into a tangible, objective acceptance of Hamas’s own lies about Hamas’s own horrors. The woke love to call themselves anti-fascists, but it’s a strange anti-fascist that gives moral succour to fascists.

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Trump could cash out his DJT stock within weeks. Here’s what happens if he sells

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3 weeks ago

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August 23, 2024

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Former President Donald Trump is on the brink of a significant financial decision that could have far-reaching implications for both his personal wealth and the future of his fledgling social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). As the lockup period on his shares in TMTG, which owns Truth Social, nears its end, Trump could soon be free to sell his substantial stake in the company. However, the potential payday, which makes up a large portion of his net worth, comes with considerable risks for Trump and his supporters.

Trump’s stake in TMTG comprises nearly 59% of the company, amounting to 114,750,000 shares. As of now, this holding is valued at approximately $2.6 billion. These shares are currently under a lockup agreement, a common feature of initial public offerings (IPOs), designed to prevent company insiders from immediately selling their shares and potentially destabilizing the stock. The lockup, which began after TMTG’s merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is set to expire on September 25, though it could end earlier if certain conditions are met.

Should Trump decide to sell his shares after the lockup expires, the market could respond in unpredictable ways. The sale of a substantial number of shares by a major stakeholder like Trump could flood the market, potentially driving down the stock price. Daniel Bradley, a finance professor at the University of South Florida, suggests that the market might react negatively to such a large sale, particularly if there aren’t enough buyers to absorb the supply. This could lead to a sharp decline in the stock’s value, impacting both Trump’s personal wealth and the company’s market standing.

Moreover, Trump’s involvement in Truth Social has been a key driver of investor interest. The platform, marketed as a free speech alternative to mainstream social media, has attracted a loyal user base largely due to Trump’s presence. If Trump were to sell his stake, it might signal a lack of confidence in the company, potentially shaking investor confidence and further depressing the stock price.

Trump’s decision is also influenced by his ongoing legal battles, which have already cost him over $100 million in legal fees. Selling his shares could provide a significant financial boost, helping him cover these mounting expenses. However, this move could also have political ramifications, especially as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race.

Trump Media’s success is closely tied to Trump’s political fortunes. The company’s stock has shown volatility in response to developments in the presidential race, with Trump’s chances of winning having a direct impact on the stock’s value. If Trump sells his stake, it could be interpreted as a lack of confidence in his own political future, potentially undermining both his campaign and the company’s prospects.

Truth Social, the flagship product of TMTG, has faced challenges in generating traffic and advertising revenue, especially compared to established social media giants like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Despite this, the company’s valuation has remained high, fueled by investor speculation on Trump’s political future. If Trump remains in the race and manages to secure the presidency, the value of his shares could increase. Conversely, any missteps on the campaign trail could have the opposite effect, further destabilizing the stock.

As the lockup period comes to an end, Trump faces a critical decision that could shape the future of both his personal finances and Truth Social. Whether he chooses to hold onto his shares or cash out, the outcome will likely have significant consequences for the company, its investors, and Trump’s political aspirations.

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Arizona man accused of social media threats to Trump is arrested

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3 weeks ago

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August 23, 2024

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Cochise County, AZ — Law enforcement officials in Arizona have apprehended Ronald Lee Syvrud, a 66-year-old resident of Cochise County, after a manhunt was launched following alleged death threats he made against former President Donald Trump. The threats reportedly surfaced in social media posts over the past two weeks, as Trump visited the US-Mexico border in Cochise County on Thursday.

Syvrud, who hails from Benson, Arizona, located about 50 miles southeast of Tucson, was captured by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday afternoon. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed his arrest, stating, “This subject has been taken into custody without incident.”

In addition to the alleged threats against Trump, Syvrud is wanted for multiple offences, including failure to register as a sex offender. He also faces several warrants in both Wisconsin and Arizona, including charges for driving under the influence and a felony hit-and-run.

The timing of the arrest coincided with Trump’s visit to Cochise County, where he toured the US-Mexico border. During his visit, Trump addressed the ongoing border issues and criticized his political rival, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, for what he described as lax immigration policies. When asked by reporters about the ongoing manhunt for Syvrud, Trump responded, “No, I have not heard that, but I am not that surprised and the reason is because I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys.”

This incident marks the latest in a series of threats against political figures during the current election cycle. Just earlier this month, a 66-year-old Virginia man was arrested on suspicion of making death threats against Vice President Kamala Harris and other public officials.

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Trump Media & Technology Group Faces Declining Stock Amid Financial Struggles and Increased Competition

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3 weeks ago

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August 20, 2024

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Tech News in Canada

Trump Media & Technology Group’s stock has taken a significant hit, dropping more than 11% this week following a disappointing earnings report and the return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to the rival social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. This decline is part of a broader downward trend for the parent company of Truth Social, with the stock plummeting nearly 43% since mid-July. Despite the sharp decline, some investors remain unfazed, expressing continued optimism for the company’s financial future or standing by their investment as a show of political support for Trump.

One such investor, Todd Schlanger, an interior designer from West Palm Beach, explained his commitment to the stock, stating, “I’m a Republican, so I supported him. When I found out about the stock, I got involved because I support the company and believe in free speech.” Schlanger, who owns around 1,000 shares, is a regular user of Truth Social and is excited about the company’s future, particularly its plans to expand its streaming services. He believes Truth Social has the potential to be as strong as Facebook or X, despite the stock’s recent struggles.

However, Truth Social’s stock performance is deeply tied to Trump’s political influence and the company’s ability to generate sustainable revenue, which has proven challenging. An earnings report released last Friday showed the company lost over $16 million in the three-month period ending in June. Revenue dropped by 30%, down to approximately $836,000 compared to $1.2 million during the same period last year.

In response to the earnings report, Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes emphasized the company’s strong cash position, highlighting $344 million in cash reserves and no debt. He also reiterated the company’s commitment to free speech, stating, “From the beginning, it was our intention to make Truth Social an impenetrable beachhead of free speech, and by taking extraordinary steps to minimize our reliance on Big Tech, that is exactly what we are doing.”

Despite these assurances, investors reacted negatively to the quarterly report, leading to a steep drop in stock price. The situation was further complicated by Trump’s return to X, where he posted for the first time in a year. Trump’s exclusivity agreement with Trump Media & Technology Group mandates that he posts personal content first on Truth Social. However, he is allowed to make politically related posts on other social media platforms, which he did earlier this week, potentially drawing users away from Truth Social.

For investors like Teri Lynn Roberson, who purchased shares near the company’s peak after it went public in March, the decline in stock value has been disheartening. However, Roberson remains unbothered by the poor performance, saying her investment was more about supporting Trump than making money. “I’m way at a loss, but I am OK with that. I am just watching it for fun,” Roberson said, adding that she sees Trump’s return to X as a positive move that could expand his reach beyond Truth Social’s “echo chamber.”

The stock’s performance holds significant financial implications for Trump himself, as he owns a 65% stake in Trump Media & Technology Group. According to Fortune, this stake represents a substantial portion of his net worth, which could be vulnerable if the company continues to struggle financially.

Analysts have described Truth Social as a “meme stock,” similar to companies like GameStop and AMC that saw their stock prices driven by ideological investments rather than business fundamentals. Tyler Richey, an analyst at Sevens Report Research, noted that the stock has ebbed and flowed based on sentiment toward Trump. He pointed out that the recent decline coincided with the rise of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, which may have dampened perceptions of Trump’s 2024 election prospects.

Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida, offered a grim long-term outlook for Truth Social, suggesting that the stock would likely remain volatile, but with an overall downward trend. “What’s lacking for the true believer in the company story is, ‘OK, where is the business strategy that will be generating revenue?'” Ritter said, highlighting the company’s struggle to produce a sustainable business model.

Still, for some investors, like Michael Rogers, a masonry company owner in North Carolina, their support for Trump Media & Technology Group is unwavering. Rogers, who owns over 10,000 shares, said he invested in the company both as a show of support for Trump and because of his belief in the company’s financial future. Despite concerns about the company’s revenue challenges, Rogers expressed confidence in the business, stating, “I’m in it for the long haul.”

Not all investors are as confident. Mitchell Standley, who made a significant return on his investment earlier this year by capitalizing on the hype surrounding Trump Media’s planned merger with Digital World Acquisition Corporation, has since moved on. “It was basically just a pump and dump,” Standley told ABC News. “I knew that once they merged, all of his supporters were going to dump a bunch of money into it and buy it up.” Now, Standley is staying away from the company, citing the lack of business fundamentals as the reason for his exit.

Truth Social’s future remains uncertain as it continues to struggle with financial losses and faces stiff competition from established social media platforms. While its user base and investor sentiment are bolstered by Trump’s political following, the company’s long-term viability will depend on its ability to create a sustainable revenue stream and maintain relevance in a crowded digital landscape.

As the company seeks to stabilize, the question remains whether its appeal to Trump’s supporters can translate into financial success or whether it will remain a volatile stock driven more by ideology than business fundamentals.

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