ISLAMABAD: What’s going on? A CNN headline reads, “Pakistan FM invokes anti-Semitic slur.” What exactly did Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, say? You can watch the video here, or read the gist of what CNN Senior Global Affairs Analyst and fill-in anchor, Bianna Golodryga, thought was an anti-Semitic remark:
Qureshi: “Israel is losing out, they’re losing the media war, despite their connections…the tide is turning.”
Golodryga: “What are their connections?”
Qureshi: “Ha Ha Ha Ha, deep pockets”
Golodryga: “What does that mean?”
Qureshi: “They are very influential people, I mean they control media.”
Golodryga: “I would call that an anti-Semitic remark.”
Qureshi: “The point is, they have a lot of influence, and they get a lot of coverage. What has balanced that is the citizen journalist who has been reporting, sharing video clips, and that has jolted people and woken up people…people who were sitting on the fence are today, speaking up…”
The details: Golodryga was initially talking about Qureshi’s remarks at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, where he demanded aid to be allowed into Gaza, and called for an end to “Israeli aggression.” They discussed the possibility of a ceasefire, which is finally happening after 11 days of airstrikes that caused widespread destruction in Gaza, and brought daily life to a standstill in Israel. According to Al Jazeera, a ceasefire came into force in the Gaza Strip early on Friday morning, after Egypt brokered an agreement between Israel and Hamas. Hamas is the Palestinian group that controls the Gaza strip, and it’s also referred to as a “militant group.”
The Israeli military’s airstrikes on Gaza have killed at least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children. Israel claims it killed at least 160 combatants in Gaza, but hasn’t given evidence. On Israel’s side, 12 people, including two children, have been killed. For more background on the airstrikes between Israel and Gaza, and why they started, read our previous newsletter.
How was the rest of the interview? Tense (you really need to watch it, approximately 11 minutes). Golodryga doubled down on “anti-Semitic talk and rhetoric,” and what she believes is an increase in anti-Semitism throughout the world. She stated that someone like Qureshi, who is in a powerful position, should say that’s wrong. While Qureshi was stressing on the heavy Palestinian casualties as a result of Israeli airstrikes, she urged him to be objective and also focus on Israeli casualties caused by Hamas rockets.
Tell me more: Golodryga tried suggesting that Pakistan’s staunch support of human rights in Gaza is hypocritical, since the country isn’t vocal about alleged human rights abuses taking place against Uighur Muslims in China. Qureshi’s response was in line with what Pakistan’s National Security Advisor, Moeed Yusuf, said about Pakistan’s “special relationship” with China during a virtual event this year. Qureshi said Pakistan and China are great friends, and they have their own way of communicating with each other through diplomatic channels instead of in public. He also insisted “there’s a way of doing things,” but that doesn’t mean Pakistan is “oblivious” to its responsibilities.
Qureshi tried ending the discussion with a slightly more diplomatic tone. He called for dialogue and said every human life is important. He also endorsed a two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians. However, when responding to Golodryga’s question, “what about anti-Semitism, and what about Hamas’ role in stopping the rockets?” he didn’t hold back. Qureshi suggested that Israel caused problems for itself by creating a dire situation, like “genocide,” “occupation,” and “ethnic cleansing,” that gave extremist elements room to thrive.
