Chris Williams, Wollongong
As part of the campaign for peace and justice in Palestine and Lebanon, 80 people gathered in Wollongong University's Hope theatre on September 6 to discuss "Mass media, mass lies — exposing the truth about Israel's war". The public meeting was organised by Students Against War (SAW).
As the theatre filled, an interview with British MP for the anti-war Respect party George Galloway was projected onto the big screen. In it, Galloway demolished the Sky News interviewer's distortions, lies and attempts to discredit the Lebanese resistance movement.
The meeting then heard from Nina Trad from the Islamic Friendship Association, Saeb Ali from Peace for Lebanon, and SAW activist and president of the Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association Jess Moore.
"The mainstream media manipulates facts in order to marginalise, demonise and alienate Muslims", Trad said. "The demonising of Middle Eastern Australians over the past 10 years has coincided with the first Qana massacre, where Israel butchered more than 150 civilians in a United Nations refugee shelter, and with the second Qana massacre in 2006 and the recent bombardment of Lebanon. This makes the media an accomplice to racist foreign policy. Violence is legitimised in order to increase fear and newspaper sales."
Ali argued that the mass media has avoided reporting on the brutal impact of Israel's war. "Israel's savage bombardment did not discriminate between military and civilian targets. It did not spare any area of Lebanon. It has resulted in the deaths of some 1300 people, over 350 of whom were innocent children who have done no wrong other than live in a country that wishes to live in a dignified way", he said.
Ali also exposed some of the lies surrounding Hezbollah. "Hezbollah are freedom fighters struggling against Israeli state terrorism. Hezbollah formed in 1982 to try to free the country from Israeli occupation. They fought for many years in southern Lebanon, and only on Lebanese soil. They fought for the freedom of their people.
"They are the rightful representatives of the people of southern Lebanon, and have provided health care and schooling. The people of Lebanon are sick and tired of living under occupation and have a right to pursue freedom and dignity."
Moore told the audience: "In the name of fighting terrorism and making the world safe for democracy, the mass media justify the occupations in the Middle East, the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, the displacement of millions, and the stirring up of racism and curbing of civil liberties in the West. In the name of objective journalism we're fed lies to justify what are simply attempts to gain access to markets and resources in the Middle East."
Moore expressed the mood of solidarity at the meeting when she added: "We must not remain silent. If we do, that silence will be filled by governments and their armies dropping bombs. The silence will be filled by a media that lies for corporate agendas.
"We must stand up and be counted, and fill the silence with our voices. We must fight for the freedom of all oppressed peoples in the world. History has shown we can force our governments to act; we can force the hand of powerful countries. Together we are stronger than any government or army."
Ali concluded: "This loss of life is not in vain. Every tear shed during Israel's barbaric invasion will turn into a tidal wave in which the arrogance of the aggressors will drown. We will find peace only when justice is applied. Our decision is to struggle on and on until justice is achieved."