The New York Times published an op-ed by the Mayor of Gaza Yahya R. Sarraj this week — the same mayor that was appointed by Hamas in 2019.
From The Daily Wire:
Unwittingly or not in his attempt to claim that Israel had destroyed Gazans’ lives and culture, Mayor Yahya R. Sarraj gave the lie to the constant claim from Palestinian supporters that Gaza had been an “open-air prison” before the Israeli response to Hamas’ massacre of 1,200 Israelis on October 7.
“As a teenager in the 1980s, I watched the construction of the intricately designed Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center in Gaza City, named after one of Gaza’s greatest public figures, and its theater, grand hall, public library, printing press and cultural salon, Sarraj wrote, also mentioning its “iconic symbols, its beautiful seafront, its libraries and archives” as well as its public zoo.
Sarrak quotes the Gaza Health Ministry, which has historically lied about casualties, about the number of deaths from the Israeli response.
Journalists on X were quick to remind readers that The New York Times suffered an internal revolt after Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton published an op-ed for the paper.
But apparently, a Hamas-appointed mayor is fair play.
“Remember when the @nytimes journalists lost their minds and a chief editor had to resign because they ran an op-ed by a sitting US Senator?” Chaya Raichik, who runs LibsOfTikTok wrote. “Well now the New York Times is running opinion pieces written by Hamas. Are their journalists outraged? ???? NYT showing their true colors!”
Remember when the @nytimes journalists lost their minds and a chief editor had to resign because they ran an op-ed by a sitting US Senator?
Well now the New York Times is running opinion pieces written by Hamas.
Are their journalists outraged? 🤔
NYT showing their true colors! pic.twitter.com/aXpwGKngKn
— Chaya Raichik (@ChayaRaichik10) December 25, 2023
Former New York Times writer Adam Rubenstein offered a few thoughts about the Hamas mayor article:
A few thoughts on the Hamasnik Op-Ed in the Times.
1) The essay, by an Hamas-appointed mayor, takes as fact claims by the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, without disclosing that fact. Seems elementary to disclose that.
2) It mentions a “deadly attack” by Hamas but doesn’t condemn it, or even state who was attacked (civilian communities) or what happened (pillaging, arson, rape, murder, taking of hostages back into Gaza).
3) Leaves out important context for Israel’s campaign in Gaza: The hostages. Instead, it claims that no “sane person” could do what Israel is doing. You certainly don’t need to agree with Israel’s aims, but you do need to engage with them. The word “hostage” doesn’t appear in the essay.
4) At the end of the essay, the mayor asks, credulously, “Why can’t we live in peace and have open borders?” With proper context, the answer would be too obvious to write that question. Open borders, really?
A few thoughts on the Hamasnik Op-Ed in the Times.
1) The essay, by an Hamas-appointed mayor, takes as fact claims by the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, without disclosing that fact. Seems elementary to disclose that.
2) It mentions a "deadly attack" by… pic.twitter.com/XW81BYFbbN
— Adam Rubenstein (@RubensteinAdam) December 25, 2023
“The New York Times is an evil corporation with the blood of genocide victims all over its printing presses,” wrote Fox News host Mark Levin.
The New York Times is an evil corporation with the blood of genocide victims all over its printing presseshttps://t.co/cNDDqpb8zX
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) December 25, 2023
More over at The Daily Wire:
NY Times Publishes Op-Ed By Hamas Mayor Of Gaza, Gets Blasted https://t.co/EJiSxNkVhd pic.twitter.com/ne2xWSwljE
— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) December 26, 2023