On Monday I watched horrified as a young, living man burned to death in a fire caused by Israeli bombing of tents for the displaced outside of a hospital in Deir al-Balah. Shaaban al-Dalou was only one of dozens of Palestinians massacred in Gaza that day, with barely a word spoken in British media outlets.
On Wednesday I watched from the backend of the @intifada livestream as our regular guest @abubakerabedw — a football journalist just trying to survive — told us he had eaten only three meals all week. This is caused by Israel’s deliberate policy of starving Gaza. Viewers had already been commenting how thin he looked . He smiled and said “Alhamdillilah” — thank God for everything. He apologised for leaving us on the verge of tears and instructed @norabf and @AliAbunimah to smile.
On Thursday just before dawn, about 10 police barged into my home and seized all computers, phones and other similar devices I use for my journalism. They did not arrest me or charge me with a crime, but explained they were from Counter Terror Command (SO15).
I asked why they were doing this. The senior officer would say only “social media” postings I’d made. He refused to be any more specific.
I told them that this is the Holocaust of time and that in years to come they and their children will look back on their actions with regret.
Some of them looked ashamed.
Mike