Unions hold event about war with journalist who celebrated Hezbollah attacks

The National Federation of Journalists (Fenaj) and the Union of Professional Journalists in the State of São Paulo will hold an event this Tuesday (14) to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas. Among those invited to debate the topic is journalist Breno Altman, founder of the website Opera Mundi, who became the target of criticism for celebrating Hezbollah’s entry into the war against Israel and for comparing Jews to rats shortly after the outbreak of the conflict.

“Excellent news for the Palestinian resistance, Hezbollah’s entry into the fight against the colonial State of Israel, if confirmed and established as a total war. Zionist losses would grow and the pressure on the Netanyahu government would tend to be stronger,” said Altman in the social network on October 9th.

Days later, the journalist also stated that Hamas, responsible for starting the conflict, is a “decisive part of the Palestinian resistance” against the Israeli government. “We may dislike Hamas, disagreeing with its policies and methods. But this organization is a decisive part of the Palestinian resistance against the colonial State of Israel. Remembering the Chinese saying, at this moment it doesn’t matter what color cats are, as long as they hunt mice”, he said.

In a note about the event “War Propaganda and the Genocide of Palestine”, the Union of Professional Journalists in the State of São Paulo stated that “more than a month after the start of the attacks, the world media continues to spread war propaganda for Israel and legitimizing bombings of hospitals, cutting off water and electricity supplies, becoming an accomplice to the genocide practiced by the Israeli government.”

This Monday, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) toughened his criticism and classified the Israeli reaction as being “as serious” as what was provoked by the extremist group Hamas. The National Federation of Journalists (Fenaj) publicly supported Lula’s candidacy in the last elections. The president of the Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (Fepal), Ualid Rabah, and professor Salem Nasser will also participate in the debate.