close
close

topicnews · August 26, 2024

PFLP mouthpiece deletes articles about journalist linked to terrorist attacks

PFLP mouthpiece deletes articles about journalist linked to terrorist attacks

Al-Hadaf, a Gaza-based media outlet founded by and serving as the mouthpiece of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a terrorist organization, deleted an article dedicated to Bisan Owda titled “Journalism in the crosshairs of politics… how Bisan Owda became a symbol of resistance journalism.”

This came just days after Owda was the focus of a letter signed by 150 film professionals demanding that the Emmy Awards withdraw her nomination due to her past ties to the very same PFLP, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US, EU, Canada, Israel and other countries.

In late July 2024, the Emmy Awards nominated Bisan Atef Owda, a Palestinian content creator from Gaza, along with Qatari media company AJ+ for their series “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive.” The nomination was in the category “Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form.”

After the nomination, it was discovered that Owda had portrayed himself as a member of the PFLP and had even spoken at PFLP events in the Gaza Strip in the past wearing full PFLP militant gear.

Owda was also in charge of the PFLP anniversary celebrations in Gaza. The deletion of the article from the PFLP mouthpiece, uploaded just four days ago, raised further doubts about Owda’s connection to the organization.

Deleted article (Source: Screenshot/Al-Hadaf)

As for AJ+, a subsidiary of Qatari mouthpiece Al Jazeera, the US Department of Justice ordered it to register as a foreign agent of the Qatari government under the US Foreign Agent Registration Act (“FARA”), saying that the channel is “controlled and funded by the government of Qatar.” However, the Qatari-owned broadcaster refused to do so, in blatant violation of US law.

At the same time, Al-Jazeera itself served as a breeding ground for anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, as well as a platform for spreading Hamas propaganda and political arguments.

For these reasons, 150 industry experts signed a letter to the National Academy of Television Arts and Services (NATAS) urging them to withdraw Owda’s nomination, which they believe violates the Academy’s code of conduct. However, NATAS has so far insisted on Owda’s nomination, claiming that despite her past membership in the terrorist organization, there is no further evidence that she is still part of the group.

Who is the PFLP

The PFLP is a notorious Palestinian organization with Marxist tendencies that took pride in its participation in the October 7 massacre, during which the group is said to have taken hostages and fired rockets at Israeli civilians.

The Front was also responsible for the murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in 2019 and the assassination of Israeli minister Rehavam Zeevi in ​​2001. Previously, the group was responsible for the 1972 Lod massacre, which killed 17 Puerto Rican pilgrims, as well as airplane hijackings and plots to assassinate former Israeli Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yossef.

Stay up to date with the latest news!

Subscribe to the Jerusalem Post newsletter

Eitan Fischberger, an independent analyst who first became aware of Bisan’s ties to the PFLP after her Emmy nomination, explained to the Post why Al-Hadaf published the article and then promptly removed it.

“A basic rule of any influence operation is to avoid a direct connection of the agent to the organization he is a part of,” Fischberger said. “Once the organization admits a connection, it becomes much more difficult to deny it. Fortunately, the PFLP had already falsely identified Bisan as a member of its youth group in 2018 and uploaded pictures of her in full PFLP military uniform.”

“It is likely that an overzealous writer at Al-Hadaf did not anticipate the consequences of his praise for Bisan and her Emmy nomination, prompting another member of the terror group to quickly delete the nomination, inadvertently making the connection even clearer,” the analyst commented. “This incident proves once again that the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and its CEO Adam Sharp were misled. They should reconsider and immediately withdraw Bisan’s nomination, as well as that of the Qatar-funded AJ+.”



You may also like...