15 August 2025 | 11:36 CAT
3-minute read

Targeting the Messengers of Truth

Israel’s deliberate killing of seven Palestinian journalists in Gaza—among them veteran Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif—has drawn almost universal condemnation. Israel claims the journalists were linked to Hamas’s media operations, but international observers and press freedom advocates say the allegations fall far short of justifying their deaths.

Award-winning Middle East analyst James Dorsey said on this week’s Middle East Report:

“That hardly is a justification for killing him and six other journalists.”

He added that, far from silencing critics, Israel’s actions have worsened its already strained global image.

“This did it for them,” Dorsey said, referring to the fatal blow the killings dealt to Israel’s standing in the global battle of narratives.

The United Nations, Reporters Without Borders, and numerous human rights groups have condemned the attacks, calling them part of a broader campaign to silence Palestinian voices and obscure the reality on the ground in Gaza.

Global Public Opinion Turning Against Israel

Recent polls in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia—reflecting sentiment across much of the Muslim world—show that public opposition to recognising Israel is increasing, regardless of whether the Gaza war ends or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is formally resolved.

“An increasing number opposes recognition of Israel with or without a resolution of the conflict,” Dorsey explained.

For Palestinians, these numbers indicate growing solidarity in Muslim-majority nations, where people increasingly see recognition of Israel as incompatible with justice for Palestine until occupation ends and statehood is realised.

Gaza’s Future: Palestinians Resist Israeli-Imposed Leadership

As the war continues, Israel is manoeuvring to install a post-war Gaza administration that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Two names are being floated:

• Muhammad Dahlan, a UAE-backed former Fatah security chief from Gaza, and
• Samir Hulileh, a West Bank businessman backed by pro-Israeli groups.

Palestinians warn such moves risk creating leaders with no real mandate from the people of Gaza. Dorsey noted that Hulile’hs position would be “very risky” without guarantees of full Israeli withdrawal and the restoration of Palestinian administration. So far, Israel’s attempts to get clan or tribal leaders to accept governance roles have failed, revealing deep Palestinian resistance to occupation-backed rule.

Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ Vision: Proof of Expansionist Goals

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu further inflamed Arab anger when he expressed personal affinity for the idea of a “Greater Israel” extending into Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Palestinians see this not as rhetoric, but as confirmation of Israel’s long-term territorial ambitions, undermining any prospect of genuine Palestinian sovereignty.

A Crisis of Justice and Truth

The killing of Anas al-Sharif—known for his fearless reporting from Khan Younis—and his colleagues is more than an attack on individuals; it is an assault on the Palestinian right to document their own story. The growing refusal among global Muslim communities to normalise relations with Israel reflects a collective recognition: without justice, sovereignty, and the end of occupation, peace remains an illusion.

Watch the Middle East Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Habib Bobat.