Omar El Akkad on Gaza, Journalism, and Western Liberalism’s Failures

March 26, 2025 – General – 

Omar El Akkad, acclaimed author and journalist, provides a powerful critique of the international and Western liberal response to the Gaza conflict. In recent interviews with The Columbia Journalism Review, Democracy Now!, and Al Jazeera’s UpFront, El Akkad sheds light on the devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the severe challenges faced by journalists trying to report from the region.

El Akkad emphasizes that the Gaza war is not only a military conflict but also a profound moral crisis that exposes the failures of Western liberalism. He argues that Western governments and institutions have largely failed to hold Israel accountable for actions that many observers consider war crimes, thereby enabling ongoing violence and suffering. This failure extends to the media landscape, where Palestinian voices and realities are marginalized or silenced, contributing to a one-sided narrative that often omits the human cost of the conflict.

Journalists covering Gaza face unprecedented barriers, including restricted access and direct attacks on media workers and infrastructure. El Akkad points out that this censorship and obstruction severely hamper the world’s understanding of the situation and allow misinformation to proliferate. He stresses the importance of ethical journalism that resists complicity with oppressive regimes and advocates for truthful, courageous reporting that humanizes those suffering in Gaza.

El Akkad’s reflections also highlight a broader crisis within liberal democracies, where political and economic interests often override commitments to human rights and justice. His work serves as a call to action for journalists, policymakers, and the public alike to confront these contradictions and push for a more just and accountable global order.

Ultimately, El Akkad’s insights remind us that the fight for truth and justice in Gaza is inseparable from the broader struggle against systemic oppression and the erosion of press freedom worldwide. His message is clear: without courageous journalism and international accountability, the cycle of violence and silence will continue unchecked.

Reference – 

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/4/17/part_2_author_omar_el_akkad

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/upfront/2025/5/16/omar-el-akkad-gaza-genocide-and-the-failure-of-us-liberalism

https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/qa_omar_el_akkad_gaza_journalistic_institutions.php