"What really frightens me is that fact that Al Jazeera, through it's journalist development program, has produced at least 70,000 extremists to be used in 12-14 countries to promote islamic jihad". Untitled speaker, FAU series on the middle east.
Depending on who you talk to, there are roughly 500,000 unaffiliated but willing to work jihadists wandering around the gloge today. Most of which are working in the world outside of the far east. (I shudder to think about Indonesia becoming radicalized like the palestinian Arabs)
That number, of course, did not contain this alternate faction of jihadist newsperson. Quietly working their way into the more mainstream Islamic household and from there, slowly indoctrinating the younger people with this Muslim Brotherhood and Iranian based rhetoric. Leaving no room for ratinoal thought and normalizing these murderous operations such as had been seen in the news of late.
The following is a dive into the glossy/non judegmentalworld of Al jazeera to take a look at the dark underpinnings.
"The ideology of the MB is mainly focused on reform of existing political systems in the Arab world. It embraces the idea of political activism and social responsibility, organising charitable works and social support programmes as part of its outreach to its core support base of lower-income populations.
The members of the MB represent a broad spectrum of interpretations of the initial ideology of Hassan al-Banna. Many members embrace a more pragmatic idea of achieving their goals, urging political participation and cooperation. " Al Jazeera, 2017 18 June
Conversely.
"The Muslim Brotherhood continues to churn out Islamic terrorists at a shocking rate, actively seeking to undermine western societies.
An Arab News article from September 12, 2021, quoted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi saying, “the Muslim Brotherhood has been eating away at the mind and body of Egypt for 90 years.”
It went on to state that Sisi blamed it for creating a culture of mistrust and warned other countries against a permissive environment which fosters militant Islamists." Cynthia Farrahat, Jerusalem Post Aug 19, 2022
The Evolution of Al Jazeera: From News Channel to a Platform for Disinformation and Extremist Propaganda
Al Jazeera, once heralded as a groundbreaking news network in the Arab world, has undergone a significant transformation over the years. Initially praised for its bold journalism and willingness to challenge authoritarian regimes, the Qatari-funded broadcaster has increasingly been accused of serving as a mouthpiece for extremist groups, particularly Hamas. Its coverage of conflicts in the Middle East, especially the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has raised serious concerns about its role in spreading disinformation and promoting Islamist narratives.
One of the most striking examples of Al Jazeera’s alignment with Hamas can be observed in its coverage of the conflict between Israel and the militant group in Gaza. During the 2014 war, known as Operation Protective Edge, Al Jazeera adopted language that mirrored Hamas's messaging. The network labeled the conflict as "Gaza Resists" in its advertisements and promos, a phrase designed to portray Hamas not as an aggressor but as a heroic resistance movement. As the war ended, the broadcaster shifted its narrative, calling it "Gaza has triumphed," reinforcing the idea of Hamas's victory regardless of the humanitarian toll on Palestinian civilians.
The extent to which Al Jazeera followed Hamas’s media playbook was evident in 2014 when Hamas’s Ministry of the Interior and National Security issued a directive for social media activists on how to frame the war. According to a report from The National Interest, "the channel's Gaza coverage seems to have taken its cues from Hamas' own media playbook." This alignment was not merely incidental but appeared to be part of a broader pattern of editorial choices that closely followed Hamas's political messaging.
Al Jazeera’s coverage has often provided unfiltered airtime to Hamas leaders and their allies. During the 2014 war, the network aired a 40-minute speech by Hamas political leader Khalid Meshaal, as well as statements from Hamas’s military wing and the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group. This uncritical coverage continued in later conflicts, including the May 2021 war between Hamas and Israel. After the two-week battle, Hamas’s political chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, praised Al Jazeera, calling it "the best pulpit to give the accurate voice to our position." Such statements indicate the network’s deep entanglement with Hamas’s communication strategy.
Al Jazeera’s sympathetic coverage of Hamas did not begin in 2014 or 2021; it can be traced back to the late 1990s. In November 1999, the network invited Hamas leaders to discuss their "resistance" operations against Israel, breaking with the previous dominance of Fatah and the PLO in Arab media. By 2005, after Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza, Al Jazeera broadcasted Hamas-led Friday sermons and military parades celebrating the pullout. One particularly alarming broadcast featured Sheikh Nizar Rayyan, a senior Hamas official, declaring that the fight against Israel would continue until "the very last usurper is driven out of our land."
While Al Jazeera has long positioned itself as an independent and fearless news organization, its editorial choices over the years suggest a different reality. The network's close alignment with Hamas's rhetoric, its uncritical platforming of extremist leaders, and its framing of conflicts in a way that supports Islamist narratives all indicate a shift from journalism to propaganda. As conflicts in the Middle East continue to unfold, Al Jazeera's role in shaping perceptions and influencing public opinion remains a subject of intense scrutiny. Its evolution raises serious questions about the ethical responsibilities of news organizations in conflict zones and the fine line between reporting and manipulation.
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