<[link removed]>

Tell CBS: Don't Acquire Genocide Deniers! 

<[link removed]>Send a letter! <[link removed]>

Dear John,

On Monday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared to his war cabinet that Israel plans to occupy 100% of Gaza. How did we get here? For nearly two years, we’ve been lied to by major news outlets about what’s really happening in Gaza. Their blatant lies have completely dehumanized Palestinians and denied Palestinian stories. When they can’t hide what we are all seeing on our phones, they go into overdrive to make excuses as to why Israel’s actions are justified and to spin the narrative that somehow Palestinians have caused their own genocide. 

I feel like we are at a crossroads when it comes to how we are perceiving reality versus how Israel and the United States want it to be perceived. In our world, Palestinians in Gaza are visibly starving; we all see the many, many emaciated bodies with bones protruding. Yet mainstream media is pushing out the false narrative that these people are all experiencing “underlying health conditions” that cause them to look this way. 

To provide an example, CBS News, one of the largest outlets in the U.S., wants to acquire The Free Press, pro-Israel propagandist Bari Weiss’ outlet, and have Weiss consult on their content and messaging about the Middle East.

Send a letter to the executives and publicists at Paramount and CBS to stop this deal, or they will cement their place in history as tools of war and genocide! <[link removed]>

In 2018, conservative British commentator Andrew Sullivan described Weiss as a “Zionist fanatic of near-unhinged proportions.” Weiss responded, explaining: “It was a cheap shot. The word ‘near’ should not have been a part of the sentence. Otherwise, we happily plead guilty as charged.” Over the course of her career, Weiss has taken pride in and reaffirmed her commitment to Zionism. 

Weiss is also notorious for spewing racist lies, including those against martyr Dr. Refaat Al-Areer that could have led to his targeting and killing by the Israeli military. The Free Press, with Weiss at the helm, has a long track record of Islamophobia and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism. 

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If this deal with CBS goes through, Weiss’ audience will expand from hardline Zionists to ordinary people catching up on local and international news. Is this who should be telling people what’s going on in Gaza? 

That Paramount, the parent company of CBS, is looking to buy The Free Press is proof of its staunchly anti-Palestinian bias. Not only are these media companies like Paramount intent on dehumanizing Palestinians in Gaza, they are also intent on misleading their consumers with inaccurate reporting and hidden agendas.

Tell Paramount and CBS to not platform bigots and Israeli propagandists! <[link removed]>

Now, with Netanyahu’s pledge to ramp up the genocide to its fullest potential, the media must contend with these questions: If what is happening in Gaza now is not a genocide, then what is? What far-fetched lies will the media spew to justify Israel and the U.S.’ actions next?

Meanwhile, material conditions continue to deteriorate inside the U.S. President Trump recently announced that states and cities could be denied FEMA funds if they boycott Israeli companies.* Although the Department of Homeland Security ultimately changed course and removed this policy, it once again reveals how the U.S.-Israeli alliance takes precedence over the needs of U.S. citizens. Not only are Americans denied health care and a living wage, but their taxes are also being used to prioritize the safety of Israel over their own. 

Capitalism, imperialism, and Zionism are killing people from Palestine to the U.S. The powerful people and corporations that shape public opinion and culture are obfuscating the truth and are instead pinning the blame on the most vulnerable people who are being deprived of basic human rights. 

We can’t let fear and propaganda overwhelm us; we must continue fighting for a better world. Just this week, a flotilla of over 44 countries announced that it would set sail on a two-month voyage to attempt to break the siege in Gaza. This would be the largest civilian-led flotilla since 2007. Yes, Israel may be escalating, but so are the people, and I know the people of Gaza will feel it. 

👉 Here are more ways to engage:

- Help us reach 10,000 signatures on our Airbnb petition!  <[link removed]>
- Tell McNally Capital to stop investing in genocide! <[link removed]>
- Tell the NYT to stop its genocide denial! <[link removed]>
- Join us at the People's Conference for Palestine! <[link removed]>
- Register for our Palestine Working Group! <[link removed]>
- Fresh arrivals are here at the CODEPINK Store! <[link removed]>

Until Liberation,
Jenin and the entire CODEPINK team

* Read the Reuters article, “US reverses pledge to link disaster funds to Israel boycott stance.” <[link removed]>





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