House Speaker Mike Johnson has raised concerns over the New York Times' decision to provide a platform for Gaza City Mayor Yahya Sarraj, who was appointed by the designated foreign terrorist organization, Hamas.
Sarraj's op-ed, condemning Israel's actions against the terror group, was published on Christmas Eve, sparking criticism from various quarters.
House Speaker Mike Johnson Criticizes New York Times
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) departs a House Republican Conference meeting on November 14, 2023 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The House is working through a Continuing Resolution presented by Johnson to avoid a government shutdown on November 17.
Johnson, in a post on the social media platform X, questioned the ethical stance of the New York Times, stating, "The New York Times provided a platform to a politician appointed by Hamas - the group designated by America as a foreign terrorist organization and responsible for the heinous October 7th massacre," as per to New York Post.
Former US Ambassador Nikki Haley has added her voice to the chorus of criticism. Drawing parallels with the controversy surrounding Senator Tom Cotton's op-ed in 2020, Haley has joined the conversation surrounding the issue at hand. In a thought-provoking observation, Haley made attention to a perceived double standard in the newspaper's reaction, pointing out the absence of any objections raised when featuring an op-ed authored by a mayor appointed by Hamas.
The op-ed by Sarraj accuses Israel of attempting to destroy Gaza's culture and "way of life." However, critics were quick to respond, questioning the validity of Sarraj's plea given the actions of Hamas, the organization that appointed him.
Sarraj condemned Israel's military response to the October 7th attack by Hamas, accusing it of "unrelenting destruction." According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 20,000 people have been reported killed in the Israel Defense Forces' retaliatory offensive in the enclave.
Critics of the New York Times' decision to publish Sarraj's piece expressed their dismay on social media. International human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky questioned the newspaper's editorial choices, asking if they would publish an op-ed from Al-Qaeda justifying 9/11, according to Washington Examiner.
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Sarraj's Gaza Plea Sparks Accusations of Hypocrisy
In his plea for global intervention, Sarraj called for pressure on world leaders to stop what he described as "mindless destruction" in Gaza. However, opponents argued that such pleas were absurd, given the death and destruction caused by Hamas during its raid on Israel.
"The Hamas-appointed mayor of Gaza City complains about the terrible destruction of the total war that his people started on Oct 7," remarked Mark Humphrys, a self-described pro-Israel social media user. "It's because your people raped, tortured, and massacred your way across defenseless Israeli communities, in barbaric scenes from hell."
Jeff Davis, another critic, accused the New York Times of providing a platform for hate and lies, drawing parallels to historical instances where the newspaper failed to report on genocides.
The New York Times, no stranger to controversy, faced a similar situation in June 2020 when it published an op-ed by Senator Tom Cotton calling for the deployment of troops against rioters in the US The publication led to the resignation of the then-opinion editor, James Bennet, amidst public and employee backlash.
As the debate rages on, questions about editorial responsibility and ethical journalism persist. The Telegraph has reached out to the New York Times for comment on the latest controversy, awaiting their response, The Telegraph reported.
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