The UK media failed the people of Gaza. Speaking up now is welcome but too late

This week's Behind the Headlines comes from editor Laura Webster – to receive this newsletter direct to your inbox every week, click here to sign up.

OVER the last several months, we at The National have taken a strong stance against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

Our front pages, editorial content, video output and social media have condemned the Israeli government’s highly disturbing actions, and shone a spotlight on the real-life consequences of the military’s wildly disproportionate campaign.

We organised a fundraiser for Gaza, helping to bring in more than £100,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians.

We have run op-eds from Palestinians struggling in the West Bank, where bombs do not fall but apartheid conditions (as described by Amnesty International and other human rights groups) have a major impact on daily life.

Israeli soldiers in the West Bank (Image: AP)

We kept challenging the Scottish Government on the Israeli military’s use of publicly owned Prestwick Airport, first exposed by Declassified UK but ignored by most mainstream Scottish publications. Our continued investigation led to the Scottish Government announcing that the base would no longer be doing business with the Israeli military.

When the BBC chose not to livestream the South African delegation’s case alleging genocide in Gaza, we were liveblogging every moment from the proceedings – including shocking details about children suffering the most horrific wounds from Israel’s bombs, and whole families being wiped out. It was extremely difficult work for our team, but it was crucial.

We’ve been at the major marches and protests, producing videos with those taking to the streets week in and week out to demand an end to Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

We have been doing all of this because it is the right thing to do. We have a platform, and we have to use it responsibly. We are reflecting what most people in Scotland want. We see in poll after poll that the public wants a ceasefire, believes international law is broken, wants an end to arms exports to Israel. Our media has not been representing that majority view properly.

Choosing to be so vocal was not the easy path – in fact, it has come with consequences. People send us vile abuse and threats. It is worth it to know we said something and did what we could.

I am therefore pleased to see other newspapers this week expressing an urgent desire for the war on Gaza to stop. This is extremely welcome, and needed. We do not want to be the only UK newspaper taking such a strong stance. We should not be alone in calling out these historic crimes against humanity.

What is disappointing is that it has taken so long to get to this point. Israel’s ultimate intention to destroy Gaza has been so apparent for so many months. The killing of seven aid workers is utterly horrific, and the international media’s response is spot on. But what pains me is that Israel killing more than 30,000 Palestinians did not produce such passionate calls for an end to the violence. Throughout this period, it has been clear that many commentators do view Palestinian lives as worth less than others’.

I suspect we have turned a corner, and more media will dare to criticise Israel’s violence and the UK Government's complicity. I hope so. I also hope that in the future, if we see this kind of western-backed mass killing again, our media will be brave enough to call it out sooner. Maybe, just maybe, taking a stand could prevent the deaths of tens of thousands in the future. The tragedy on this occasion is that we will never know.