MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell attempted to run cover for the American media Thursday as two congressmen criticized its coverage of the hospital bombing in Gaza.
The U.S. corporate media parroted the now-disputed claims made by Hamas that an Israeli airstrike hit the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City killing over 500 people on Tuesday night. Officials with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have denied Hamas’ claim, and instead blamed the explosion on a misfire launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Democratic Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Republican New York Rep. Mike Lawler, both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the media for blindly believing the words of Hamas. Israeli and U.S. officials have said they reviewed surveillance footage and have “high confidence” intelligence indicating that a bombing launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad hit the hospital.
“Here’s what I know. What I know we saw a disgusting display of anti-Israel, anti-Zionism and antisemitism from the international media around the world,” Moskowitz told Mitchell. “They immediately took Hamas’ word for it, Hamas! A terrorist organization who said something and ran with it. It caused riots around the world, it caused the president’s meeting to be canceled. But when Israel said it wasn’t true, they had to show satellite imagery, they had to show trajectory of the bomb, they had to explain the crater size, they had to show all sorts of audio intelligence.”
“But Hamas, their word was taken seriously. So look, this just shows how dangerous it is to be listening to a terrorist organization when they put out numbers, when they put out facts and figures and they put out statements. And it’s a lesson for the media and elected officials that this is an active war zone and we have to be careful before we take stuff and weaponize it,” the Democratic congressman continued.
Lawler echoed his colleague’s statement by condemning the media and members of Congress for “promulgating” Hamas’ accusation against Israel. Mitchell interrupted Lawler to falsely claim that the American media did not take Hamas’ word. (RELATED: Corporate Media Mass Stealth-Edits Headlines After Blindly Parroting Hamas To Blame Israel For Hospital Bombing)
“Let me just say, let me just say, congressman, not the NBC media,” Mitchell pushed back.
“I didn’t say—I did not say NBC, but CNN did,” Lawler said.
“Not most of the American media. We’re talking about media in the Arab world,” Mitchell said.
“CNN did, as well,” Lawler added. “And I will tell you, it is wrong. It is wrong. We need to — when you are in war, you better make sure you have your facts. We cannot have Baghdad Bobs running around promulgating these lies, especially members of Congress. So it is imperative, it does matter, facts matter here and we need to make sure that people understand Israel did not attack a hospital. That was a terrorist organization that did that.”
CNN initially published a headline titled, “Israel hits hospital and school in Gaza as blockade cripples healthcare system,” despite the IDF denying the allegations made by Hamas terrorists. As more information cast doubt on Israel’s involvement in the bombing, the outlet later stealth-edited the headline to read, “Hundreds likely dead in Gaza hospital blast, as Israeli blockade cripples medical response.”
The Associated Press and The New York Times also stealth edited their headlines on the bombing after initially pointing fingers at Israel. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters also blamed an Israeli airstrike.
Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota echoed the words of Hamas and have yet to retract their disputed statements. Tlaib repeated Hamas’ claims as she shed tears during a Wednesday rally calling for a ceasefire.
President Joe Biden told Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it appears “the other team” is responsible during his visit to Israel.