Following revelations of his relations to Hamas that were exposed by press regulator HonestReporting, CNN announced on Wednesday that it would no longer employ Abdel Qader Sabbah’s services.
HonestReporting’s inspection uncovered that Sabbah had photographed himself with a top Hamas head, participated in a Hamas- run system, praised terrorists, and shared anti- Jewish propaganda online. This raised important questions about CNN’s journalistic standards and evaluating procedures, specially given Sabbah’s important contributions to CNN’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Our own editors have been prohibited from entering Gaza independently because of this independent journalist’s reporting, a CNN director told HonestReporting. We’ve cautiously examined this content, and we’re confident that it meets our criteria. Nonetheless, we were not aware of this individual’s traditional cultural posts and understand that they are very unpleasant. In light of this, we will no longer been using his material going ahead”.
A review of Sabbah’s social media activity revealed strong ties to Hamas and a distinct bias against Israel. Key results include:
– **Connections to Hamas Figures **: In 2018, Sabbah shared a selfie with senior Hamas figure Mahmoud A-Zahar, who had been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for his appeal for non-Zionist dominance. Sabbah captioned the photograph:” This night, with chief Abu Khaled Al- Zahar, writing teacher…”
– **Service in Hamas- Work Body **: Sabbah’s Twitter profile mentions “military company” in 2013. He posted a picture of himself in uniform with the” General Training Directorate”, an object under the Palestinian Authority’s officers and Interior Ministry, but essentially controlled by Hamas in Gaza. In March 2023, Sabbah boasted about making a promotional video for this directorate’s club, which trains Hamas safety officers.
– **Praise for Jihadists **: In 2014, Sabbah praised Hamas death bomb Izz A- Roar Al- Masri, who killed 16 individuals, including children, in a 2001 Jerusalem restaurant bombing. When Israel gave Al-Masri’s system to the Palestinian Authority 13 years afterward, Sabbath referred to him as a “hero.”
– **Sharing Propaganda and Censorship Instructions **: Sabbah often shared Hamas advertising and media censorship guidelines. He shared rules for the 2021 fight with Israel that forbid the filming of enemy positions or rocket launch websites. In April 2023, he posted a propaganda videos by Hamas ‘ military aircraft titled” Prepared” with brain symbols.
Sabbah is the 11th blogger reassigned, suspended, or fired according to HonestReporting’s studies since August 2022. The ties between Sabbah and Hamas have been extensively exposed, severely impairing CNN’s editorial standards and evaluating processes.
The national court’s decision was opposed by the White House and the Department of Energy, in statements released. A White House spokeswoman expressed disappointment with the order, emphasizing the government’s dedication to informed decisions based on sound technology. A Department of Energy director also expressed disapproval of the decision and said the agency may continue to evaluate the court order and its upcoming actions.
The decision was praised by the pause’s critics. Attorney General of West Virginia Patrick Morrisey praised it as a major victory for the electricity market and the millions of jobs it supports, while criticizing the Biden government’s climate change plan.
According to Morrisey,” The Energy Department of this administration has no such authority to support this ban.” In such cases, Congress and Congress are the only ones with the power to decide decisions.
The disclosures about Abdel Qader Sabbah’s contacts to Hamas have caused CNN to cut ties with the consultant, underscoring the crucial value of thorough assessing processes in journalism. As CNN expands, the system will need to make sure that all contributors adhere to its standards of fairness and integrity, particularly in conflict-stricken regions where reporting can be significantly impacted by propaganda and partiality.
