Perhaps It's Time The Guardian Was Held Truly Accountable for the Hateful Bile it Publishes & the Platform it Provides to Disingenuous Propagandists

Owen Jones is a nasty individual, with an irrational hatred of Israel and a penchant for fiction, supporting terror, and inciting hatred and antisemitism. And he is at it again. His latest article in The Guardian is a litany of lies, propaganda, half truths, evasions, hateful rhetoric and bile.

A Modern day Haw-Haw

Jones reminds me somewhat of William Joyce, AKA, "Lord Haw-Haw," a truly nasty piece of work, who served as a mouthpiece for Nazi Germany during World War II. His broadcasts on Radio Hamburg spread Nazi propaganda to British audiences. He used his platform to vilify Britain and glorify the very regime that sought its destruction.

In the same manner, Jones uses his own platforms, YouTube, social media and of course The Guardian to trumpet Islamic-extremist, lies and propaganda aimed at demonising and delegitimising Israel. And it should be clear to all, that Islamic extremists, and terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah are the enemies of the West and the entire civilised world!

How and why The Guardian chooses to provide a platform to such a blatant propagandist beggars belief. Perhaps their Editor in Chief Katherine Viner believes that such sensational and populist nonsense can up the paper’s shrinking readership. Although she may find that is exactly this sort of shoddy pap, masquerading as journalism, that is driving readers away from a once proud and quality newspaper.

Anyway, what about the content of this latest diatribe.

Selective Outrage & Evocative Language

True to his MO, Jones begins with the use of evocative and highly inappropriate language when he refers to events in Gaza over the past year as “one of the gravest crimes of our age”. Jones capacity for selective outrage is impressive. His wilful blindness of the true crimes of our age is as remarkable as it is contemptible. The cases of actual genocide, starvation, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity across the globe, are truly horrendous. They are known and the evidence is out there for all to see. Jones and indeed the ICC prefers to ignore them in preference to persecuting the Jewish State with bogus accusations.

What has been going on in Gaza for the past year is called War. War is ugly and brutal. This is a war of defence, which began with a mass slaughter of medieval barbarism, by a genocidal terrorist organisation intent on genocide of the Jews. But why would Jones, let the truth get in the way of a “good story”.

He then talks about “an overwhelming body of evidence, not least that accumulated by Palestinian journalists...” Here I would make two observations. Firstly, the actual evidence points to the exact opposite, where military experts point to the extraordinary efforts made by Israel to minimise civilian casualties, while facing an enemy intent on maximising casualties among their own civilian population.

Overwhelming Evidence to the Contrary

In reality, there is “overwhelming evidence” to support these contradictory observations. Secondly, many, if not all the so-called journalists, whose “accumulated “evidence Jones relies on so heavily, have been proven to be Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives and supporters. They indulged in such journalistic activities, as taking part in the slaughter of October 7th, holding and abusing hostages in their homes, often with the help of their families, and of course spreading the gospel according to Hams, the very same gospel, Jones has embraced and trumpeted so eagerly.

Jones goes on to say that “the evidence for war crimes and crimes against humanity has met the threshold to satisfy the ICC’s chief prosecutor”, and others. However, legal experts have condemned the decision as politically motivated with a wholesale lack of credible evidence. The decision brings into question the credibility of the international court.

The charges include “the use of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as “murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”

Let’s Look at the Charges

Oct 7th left Israel no choice other than a full-scale war with the aim of eradicating Hamas's military presence and ability to continue to rule in Gaza. War is ugly, war is brutal. People get killed and yes, it was inevitable that thousands would be killed. For the record, there has been no indiscriminate bombing, no intentional targeting of civilians, especially women and children, no murder, no persecution and no inhumane acts, although one might claim that all war is inhumane. 

What there has been is a large of number of difficult calls regarding "collateral damage". I hate the term, but essentially when you go after a high value military/terror target, what is the "acceptable" civilian casualty level. Such calls are made in every war. Modern urban warfare is particularly ugly and difficult. Gaza even more so, as Hamas has abused civilian buildings and facilities turning them into terror bases, rendering them legitimate military targets.

In short, with a tunnel system larger than the London underground, Hamas could have provided shelter and safety to its citizens. However, it refused to allow civilians into the tunnel system, purposely exposing them to grave danger.

Unprecedented Efforts to Minimise Civilian Casualties

The fact is Israel has not just made minimal efforts, the IDF has excelled, has set a new benchmark in minimising civilian casualties.

The numbers speak for themselves. The noncombatant to combatant casualty ratio, is the lowest in the history of modern urban warfare at just over 1 to 1. According to the UN, the ratio in modern warfare is closer to 9 to 1. So, no Israel is not targeting or purposely killing thousands of innocents. Military experts such as Major John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point, and General Sir John McColl, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander at NATO attest to the unprecedented efforts, the IDF has made to minimise civilian casualties.  An internal Hamas document states that 80% of casualties are Hamas operatives and their families.  So much for “overwhelming evidence”

Regarding using starvation as a method war, that is simply not true. There is no basis in fact! Israel has not blocked aid and has had no interest in starving ordinary Gazans. Indeed, it is Hamas who has been starving its population. It is pure propaganda, which Jones is only too happy to promote. The aid is going in. Hamas steals the aid, even killing ordinary Gazans who try to access the aid. They also murdered an aid worker who refused to give up aid.

The Numbers

Over 40,000 trucks have entered Gaza with over 800,000 tons of food, over 2,500 trucks with 51,000 litres of water, nearly 3000 trucks with over 28,000 tons of medical aid. There have been more than 10,000 parachute drops of aid. In all, more than enough. The official figures are available for all who are interested in actual facts and not conjecture.

To be clear, despite Israel’s efforts, the aid is going to Hamas, helping them supply their fighting force and finance their ongoing war. With this aid, Israel is essentially aiding the enemy (never happened in history) which, make no mistake, has and continues to cost IDF lives. The charges are bogus, relying on the kind of falsehood, so willingly promoted by Jones and his comrades.

Politicians Tend to Talk

Then there are the statements from Israeli politicians. Indeed, there have been some inappropriate statements, however none of those constitute official Israel policy, or indeed the manner in which the war has been prosecuted. Gallant’s statement that “Gaza won’t return to what it was before.” was a statement of fact.

October 7th was the culmination of over 17 years of constant terror attacks by a genocidal death cult that brutally controlled Gaza. One aim of the war is clearly that what has been in Gaza will no longer be. That is a wholly legitimate and indeed, essential goal for Israel. Any true friend of ordinary Gazans would agree and support this goal as Hamas has destroyed the lives of Gazans. I can argue many additional statements, but you get the idea.

The UN & its Agencies Are Part of the Problem

When he talks about the US vetoing the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at the UN, Jones once again conveniently forgets, or more accurately neglects to mention that the call did not include a demand for the immediate release of all hostages, seven of which are US citizens. How can Jones feign concern for ordinary Gazans while ignoring the plight of 101 hostage languishing in brutal conditions in Hamas terror tunnels for over 400 days. His highly selective concern for “innocents” speaks volumes.

Jones briefly mentions the other legal shenanigans at the ICJ where Soth Africa has accused Israel of genocide. Jones once again fails to provide all the facts. For one the President of the court at the time, Judge Joan Donoghue, state d clearly that the court “did not decide the claim of genocide was plausible.” True to form and living up to his shoddy journalistic standards, Jones also neglects to mention that South Africa was paid handsomely by Iran to make the accusation, and that South African opposition politicians have condemned the action, and the corruption involved therein. Kind of important don’t you think.

Undermining International Law & Justice

Lastly contrary to Jones’ protestations that, “If the international criminal court (ICC) had not issued today’s arrest warrants, a global legal order already widely regarded with contempt by much of the world would not have survived.”, the exact opposite is true!

The decision to issue these warrants, where “a state that doesn’t exist, asked a court with no jurisdiction, nor the authority to issue such warrants to arrest leaders of a sovereign state for crimes that did not happen, only serves to further undermine the credibility of an international justice system perceived as wholly compromised, and that takes decision based upon political and not legal considerations. These warrants make a laughingstock of the ICC and may sound the death knell of the “global legal order”, Jones rightly implies must retain its credibility and the respect of the world. Alas this decision makes that nigh on impossible.

The Guardian Must Do Better

The Guardian insists on providing a platform to a shameful collection of propagandists, supporters of terrors and purveyors of falsehood, who seek only to demonise and delegitimise the Jewish State, and in the process, incite Jew hatred with dire consequences for the Jewish community in the UK. Jones is just one small fish in this rotten barrel.

As its circulation continues to plummet, Kathrine Viner may want to take a moment to consider if this pandering to bigots, racists and supporters of terror may not be part of the problem.