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Wednesday, April 29, 2026

04/28 Links Pt1: Qatar promised to 'look after' ICC prosecutor Khan if he pursued Netanyahu; UAE to withdraw from OPEC; Amer Hujirat, Defense Ministry civilian contractor, killed in Lebanon

From Ian:

Jason D. Greenblatt: The Revolutionary Guards Are Executing the Clerics' Vision
The New York Times published a detailed account last week of Iran's new leadership structure. It states that power has shifted to "an entrenched, hard-line military" and that "the broad influence of the clerics is waning." The implication is that this represents a radicalization of what came before. It does not.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the cleric who led Iran for 35 years, advanced Iran's nuclear program to the edge of weaponization, built the ballistic missile program, the drone program, and the network of proxies including Hizbullah, Hamas, the Houthis and the Shia militias in Iraq that threatened Israel, the Gulf states, and American forces across the region for decades.

He crushed the Green Movement in 2009. His regime executed protesters in the crackdown that followed the 2022 uprising. He directed the IRGC's Quds Force under Qassem Soleimani, whose operations killed and maimed American soldiers for years. The IRGC was not a force that the clerics restrained. It was the instrument through which the clerical vision was executed.

A claim repeated in media commentary and on Capitol Hill held that the U.S. was not already at war with Iran before the February strikes. That claim has always been a fiction. Iran had been waging war on the U.S. and its allies for decades, through terror proxies, attacks on American troops, and a nuclear program designed to hold the region hostage.

Pretending otherwise did not make Americans or our allies in the Gulf and Israel safer. It made the eventual reckoning easier to mischaracterize as aggression rather than a long-overdue response to a severe threat that had been growing for 45 years.

The clerics built this. The IRGC executed it. They are not in tension. They are in partnership. The only thing that has changed is that sustained military pressure has left them with fewer options than they have ever had.
Walter Russell Mead: It's Way Too Early to Declare U.S. Defeat in Iran
The establishment consensus is that President Trump's war with Iran is a disaster. Time will tell, but it would be a mistake to assume that Mr. Trump is desperately looking for the exits.

Viewed from the Oval Office, the war may seem less costly than critics charge, and the likelihood of a favorable outcome may appear significantly greater than a horrified foreign-policy establishment can bring itself to believe.

True, the war has gone on longer than originally hoped and is taking a toll on the president's popularity. But he may feel less trapped than critics think he should.

In the Gulf, American naval forces have, without taking casualties, consolidated a crushing blockade of Iran that Tehran seems unable to counter.

And support in the Gulf for a decisive effort against Iran is stronger now than at the outbreak of hostilities.

For now, the president can afford to wait and see how mounting pressure affects the Iranian side.
U.S. Cannot Accept Iran Retaining Control of Hormuz, Rubio Says
Asked about the main roadblock to an agreement with the Iranian government, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News on Monday: "The country's run by radical Shia clerics; that's a pretty big impediment....People talk about moderates and hardliners. They're all hardliners in Iran. But there are hardliners who understand they have to run a country and an economy, and there are hardliners that are completely motivated by theology....Unfortunately, the hardliners with an apocalyptic vision of the future have the ultimate power in that country."

"If what they mean by opening the straits [of Hormuz] is, 'Yes, the straits are open as long as you coordinate with Iran, get our permission or we'll blow you up, and you pay us,' that's not opening the straits. Those are international waterways. They cannot normalize, nor can we tolerate them trying to normalize, a system in which the Iranians decide who gets to use an international waterway and how much you have to pay them to use it."

"The nuclear question is the reason why we're in this in the first place....They seek to dominate the region. And imagine that with a nuclear weapon. Look what they've done with the straits - great example. The straits is basically the equivalent of an economic nuclear weapon that they're trying to use against the world, and they're bragging about it. They're putting up billboards in Tehran bragging about how they can hold 20% of the world's energy hostage. Imagine if those same people had access to a nuclear weapon. They would hold the whole region hostage."

"I think they're serious about figuring out how can they buy themselves more time. We can't let them get away with it....They're very experienced negotiators, and we have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point."


JPost Editorial: Qatar’s alleged influence over ICC prosecutor raises concerns about legal neutrality
The ICC is facing a crisis of legitimacy that cannot be ignored. Khan is currently the subject of disciplinary proceedings over separate allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. However, when these personal scandals are paired with reports of Qatari influence peddling, the court’s claims of judicial independence ring hollow. UN investigators recently found a factual basis for the claims of an aide who alleged non-consensual sexual contact by Khan.

The fact that Qatar reportedly sought to “take care” of a man under such severe personal and professional pressure suggests a predatory attempt to leverage a vulnerable official for political gain. The ICC was designed to be a court of last resort for the worst atrocities in the world, but it is instead being utilized as a lawfare tool by states that harbor terrorists.

The implications of this report reaffirm what Israel already knows, but must serve as a wake-up call for its allies. The legal campaign against Israel is not a spontaneous reaction to conflict, but a premeditated and well-funded strategy. The international community has allowed itself to become dependent on Qatari mediation and financial influence, which has effectively granted Doha immunity from accountability. By allowing a terror-hosting monarchy to potentially steer the focus of the ICC, the West is enabling the hollowing out of the very international order it claims to defend.

Israel must now move toward a strategy of total legal and diplomatic independence. This means more than just a strong defense in court, because Israel must work with allies to demand a complete overhaul of how the ICC is funded and monitored. Israel must expose the machinery behind these cases before they ever reach a judge. If a mediator is found to be manipulating a global court for political ends, then that mediator must be treated as a hostile actor rather than a diplomatic partner.

The battle for the future of Israel is being fought as much in the chambers of the Hague as it is on the front lines. The world must choose whether it wants a functioning system of international law or a system that serves as a weapon for those who host and fund terrorism. Israel has already made its choice, and Israel will not be a pawn in a Qatari intelligence operation. It is time for the rest of the world to catch up.
Recording reveals Qatar promised to 'look after' ICC prosecutor Khan if he pursued Netanyahu - WSJ
Qatar promised to "look after" the International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan if he indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the case for war crimes and crimes against humanity due to the war in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

According to the WSJ report, which cited a witness and an audio recording, Qatar was pushing for the investigation in order to "look after" Khan, after the sexual assault allegations that were brought up against him.

The investigation mentions an earlier report by The Guardian where two private investigation firms, Highgate and Elicius Intelligence, were working in the hopes of discrediting Khan’s alleged assault victim.

The report also mentions that the recording, which centers on two investigators discussing Khan's case and a "client country," was submitted to the FBI to request an inquiry and is known to several Members of Congress.

Netanyahu addressed the report with a statement saying, "The ICC is a corrupt and morally bankrupt institution that should be closed. It was clear from Day 1 that there was no merit to the absurd accusations against the State of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Israel waged a just war by just means against a terrorist organization that slaughtered our people."

In the recording mentioned in the report, which The Jerusalem Post couldn't verify, one of the investigators said, "I spoke to the client about it [referring to suspicions about links between Khan and Qatar]. They weren’t surprised that it had leaked that they were wrapping their arms around him.”

“It’s not that long that they wrapped their arms around him,” another investigator pointed out in the recording, according to the WSJ. “It’s all in the context of issuing the warrant. That was basically the deal. He was like, ‘I want to issue the warrant, but I’m terrified to do it.’ And they said, ‘If you do it, then we’ll look after you.’”

The WSJ contacted both private investigation firms for comment, with Elicius not replying to the request while Highgate said in a statement that it only worked n a file in defense of the ICC, denying any state or government entity involvement.


Ukraine threatens Israel with sanctions over ‘stolen’ grain shipments
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday threatened Israel with sanctions after Kyiv and Jerusalem became locked in a diplomatic tiff over the docking of a vessel carrying grain from Russian-occupied Ukraine at the Port of Haifa.

“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “This applies, in particular, to grain stolen by Russia,” he continued.

The Ukrainian leader noted that a second vessel carrying such grain had arrived at a port in Israel and was preparing to unload.

“This is not—and cannot be—legitimate,” he said.

Ukraine was “preparing a relevant sanctions package” against both those who transport the grain as well as individuals and legal entities who are profiting from it, he added.

However, Eugene Kontorovich, a preeminent expert on universal jurisdiction and maritime piracy, as well as international law, told JNS: “There is absolutely no legal prohibition on such imports. Israel is not required to boycott Russian-occupied areas. Most nations on earth don’t, but Ukraine is not threatening to boycott Turkey or Lebanon. This looks like a deliberate effort to set Israel up for E.U. sanctions, which the E.U. has wanted to impose anyway.”

The E.U. this week said it is mulling sanctions against Israel for allowing the Russian vessels to unload at the Haifa port. “We condemn all actions that help fund Russia’s illegal war effort and circumvent E.U. sanctions, and remain ready to target such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary,” a European Commission spokesperson said.

The Ukrainian foreign minister, who summoned the Israeli Ambassador in Kyiv over the issue, first went public on social media on Monday over the disputed shipment, warning that accepting the “stolen grain” would harm bilateral relations.


Iran's Regime Is Being Suffocated from Within and Without
The Islamic Republic is under severe pressure, its leadership is fractured, and the conditions for regime change are developing. An important analysis was published this week by Vaughn Cordle, founder of Ionosphere Capital, titled, "The End of Iran's Regime Is Coming." He argues that "the fracture is internal, the pressure is financial," and that Iran's regime is approaching collapse.

He cites interference by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in negotiations, payroll failures, absenteeism in security units, Dubai's crackdown on Iranian financial networks, and that while the regime can print rials, it cannot print purchasing power. He also argues that the ceasefire extension and blockade put into place by President Trump are a way to let Iran's internal financial clock run out.

The true believers inside the IRGC believe that suffering proves righteousness and that if they hold firm, Divine redemption will come. For such people, compromise with America, the Sunni Arabs or Israel is betrayal. But regimes fall when they can no longer pay the people who protect them. Once payroll stops, loyalty becomes negotiable.

Cordle cites reports that police special units have been paid late, Armed Forces personnel have gone unpaid, and absence rates in some units are approaching 90%. He also notes reports of defections and even the use of 12-year-old children by the Basij, the thug enforcers of the IRGC. The regime's coercive machinery is losing its material foundation. Patience is therefore essential. The strategy requires time. The pressure must continue until the internal fracture produces a faction willing to act.
Trump reportedly tells aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran
US President Donald Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing US officials.

In recent meetings, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports, the report says, adding that he believes that his other options, including resuming bombing or walking away from the conflict, carry more risk than maintaining the blockade.


US condemns Iran’s leadership role at UN nuclear conference as ‘beyond shameful’
The United States, joined by the United Arab Emirates and backed by concerns from key European powers, sharply condemned the United Nations’ decision Monday to grant Iran a leadership post at a major nuclear treaty conference.

Iran’s selection as one of dozens of vice presidents at the monthlong review conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty reignited scrutiny over what critics say is a recurring pattern of Iran gaining procedural legitimacy inside international institutions despite longstanding concerns over its nuclear conduct.

The clash erupted as the 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty opened at U.N. headquarters in New York, where Iran was selected as one of 34 vice presidents through the Non-Aligned Movement bloc.

The conference includes 191 treaty parties and convenes every five years to review implementation of the pact aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

For the administration, the symbolism was immediate and explosive.

"Rather than choosing to use this review conference to defend the integrity of the NPT and call Iran to account, we instead elect Iran a vice president," Christopher Yeaw, U.S. assistant secretary for arms control and nonproliferation, told delegates. "It is beyond shameful and an embarrassment to the credibility of this conference."

The UAE and Australia publicly backed the American objection, while Britain, France and Germany also expressed concern, marking a broader coalition than in earlier U.N. disputes where the U.S. often stood largely alone in challenging Iran’s procedural elevation.
UAE to withdraw from OPEC in significant blow to oil-producing bloc
The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday it will withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) effective May 1, dealing a significant blow to the oil-producing bloc and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia.

OPEC, which coordinates production policies among major oil producers to influence global supply and prices, accounts for roughly 36% of global oil output and nearly 80% of proven reserves.

Saudi Arabia is widely viewed as the group’s leader, but the UAE has been a key contributor, producing the third-largest output within OPEC behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The organization was founded in 1960 by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela and Kuwait. Abu Dhabi joined in 1967, with the UAE maintaining membership after its formation in 1971.

In a statement, the UAE’s state-run news agency said the decision reflects the country’s “long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile” and serves its “national interest.”

The statement also pointed to regional instability amid the Iran war, including tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, as a factor shaping global energy dynamics.

Following its exit, the UAE said it will continue to act “responsibly,” gradually increasing production in line with market conditions.
After Iran talks barb, Trump says Germany’s Merz ‘doesn’t know what he’s talking about’
US President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran on Tuesday, a day after Merz said the Iranians were humiliating the United States in talks to end it.

“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, mischaracterizing Merz’s position. Merz has said Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.

Merz said on Monday that Iran’s leadership was humiliating the United States and getting US officials to travel to Pakistan and then leave without results, in an unusually pointed rebuke over the conflict.

“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” he said during a talk to students in the town of Marsberg.

“An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible,” he added at the venue in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Merz also said he did not see what exit ​strategy the US was pursuing in the Iran war — comments that underlined deep divisions between Washington and its European NATO allies, which ​had already been festering over Ukraine and other issues.

“The Americans obviously have no strategy. And the problem with such conflicts is always that you not only have to get in, you also have to get out again,” Merz said.


Obama-Biden Iran Negotiator Says Trump Doesn't Have Enough Experts, Bemoans ‘Genocide’ in Gaza
An Obama and Biden State Department administration official who participated in the negotiations that led to the 2015 deal that gave Iran $700 billion in sanctions relief in exchange for promises of an unverifiable temporary pause in its nuclear weapons program is now complaining that President Trump doesn’t have enough expert advice.

Wendy Sherman, who was deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration and under secretary of state for political affairs in the Obama administration with a stint in between as a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, also criticized the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying, he "has led us down a road—and we have been part of it—that has, in essence, created a genocide in Gaza that has destabilized the Middle East." Sherman made her comments in an interview with Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain, a British Muslim veteran of the BBC who spoke at Oxford in October 2025 about what she called "acute mass harm to civilians in Gaza, in Sudan, in Ukraine." Husain also used the Oxford speech to denounce Israel for deliberately killing Palestinian journalists, without acknowledging that many of the so-called journalists were terrorists.

It’s a closer race between what’s more repugnant—Sherman, with her track record, crapping all over President Trump’s Iran policy and falsely accusing Israel and the U.S. of genocide, or former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hiring Husain and providing her and Sherman with a platform to promote these falsehoods.

The Sherman interview is titled, apparently without irony or comic intent, "How to negotiate with Iran," as if the person who negotiated the horrible 2015 deal that enriched Iran to support regional terrorist proxies were in a position to provide authoritative advice about anything other than mistakes to avoid repeating.

The Sherman interview is labeled "weekend interview" and elaborately presented similarly to the ones the New York Times magazine has been running—a video podcast along with a print transcript annotated with footnotes. When Husain launched it, Bloomberg issued a press release touting what it described as "a new flagship global podcast," that "will launch the same week Husain delivers the prestigious annual public lecture of the University of Oxford. Previous Romanes Lecturers have included British Prime Ministers William Gladstone, Winston Churchill and Tony Blair."


U.S. Restrictions on IDF Activity in Lebanon Are Allowing Hizbullah to Continue Violating the Ceasefire
The restrictions imposed on IDF activity in Lebanon are allowing Hizbullah to continue violating the ceasefire. In practice, this gives Hizbullah the ability to set new rules. President Donald Trump sought to restrain Israel in order to pave the way for diplomatic dialogue between Jerusalem and President Joseph Aoun's government. In practice, he has denied Israel part of the freedom of action it had until two months ago. The restraint he has imposed actually serves Hizbullah, the main opponent of the diplomatic process.

If Gen. Aoun were capable of removing the security threat posed to Israel by Hizbullah, perhaps there would be room to discuss the price with him. But he comes to the negotiations with a different expectation: to stop Israel's military activity and establish a process that will lead to the IDF's withdrawal and restrict Israeli activity in his country. Aoun would indeed like to see Hizbullah disarmed, but he does not pretend to present this as a realistic goal that the Lebanese Army can achieve on its own.

Restrictions on Israel's activity in Lebanon not only fail to strengthen Aoun's government against Hizbullah, but also entrench Iran's grip on this arena and encourage the regime in Tehran. Israel should not play by the rules Hizbullah sets. Its responses to ceasefire violations should be disproportionate in order to shake Hizbullah's basic assumptions as it plans operations against us.
Amer Hujirat, Defense Ministry civilian contractor, killed in Hezbollah drone attack in Lebanon
Amer Hujirat, a civilian working for the IDF in southern Lebanon, was killed on Tuesday, according to Israeli media citing a statement from Ziv Medical Center.

Hujirat, a 44-year-old resident of Shfaram, was killed in a Hezbollah drone strike, which also lightly wounded his 19-year-old son, who was working for him. Hujirat's son was evacuated to Ziv Medical Center for treatment, according to N12. He was subsequently discharged after receiving medical care and mental health support.

The IDF announced earlier on Tuesday evening that an employee working for an engineering company carrying out projects on behalf of the Defense Ministry was killed, adding that his family had been notified by the Israel Police and extended its condolences to them.

This event comes as the IDF is facing new threats from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as the group employs fiber optic "wire" drones, which are impossible to jam as they are controlled via wire rather than radio waves or satellite navigation.


IDF blows up 2 vast Hezbollah attack tunnels built with ‘direct guidance’ from Iran
The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday announced it had located and destroyed two major Hezbollah tunnels in the southern Lebanon town of Qantara, which it said were constructed by the terror group with “direct guidance” from Iran.

The tunnels were built over a decade, reaching depths of some 25 meters, and were “funded by the Iranian terror regime and as part of Hezbollah’s plan to conquer the Galilee,” according to the military.

The two tunnels — located near each other but not connected — spanned a total of some two kilometers in length, making it one of the longest underground systems found by the military in southern Lebanon to date.

The IDF said the tunnels were part of a larger underground network located in the towns of Rab al-Thalathin and Mays al-Jabal during the fighting in 2024.

The IDF believed the underground sites were intended by Hezbollah for use as a staging ground, where hundreds of terror operatives would arrive when called, gather equipment, and ready themselves to attack Israeli towns. Hezbollah’s invasion plans never materialized.

“One of the tunnels was recently used by operatives of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force to advance terror attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens, thereby posing a direct threat to Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the military said. Major Hezbollah tunnels located by the IDF in the southern Lebanon town of Qantara, in videos issued by the military on April 28, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Troops of the 36th Division raided Qantara, some 10 kilometers from Israel’s border, during the current offensive against Hezbollah, following “precise intelligence” of the tunnel systems, the military said. The entrances to the tunnels were relatively hidden.


Jake Wallis Simons: Owen Jones is the poster boy for Tehran’s useful idiots
It had to be fake. Didn’t it? There he was, the enfant terrible of the British Left, gurning on a poster in Tehran. “This is the greatest failure of America’s strategy since its emergence as a superpower,” ran the quote on the banner, taken from one of the writer’s social media posts. Next to it was the logo of Revayat-e-Fath, a state-aligned propaganda outlet that dates to the Iran-Iraq war. Below the mugshot was the punchline: “Owen Jones, famous English journalist”.

Now, if it were your face or mine gloatingly displayed in the capital of the worst regime on the planet, we might be inclined to question our life choices. After all, these people reportedly butchered more than 30,000 in 48 hours on January 8 and 9. We might be tempted to ask ourselves: are we the baddies? Jones, however, only seemed concerned that the photograph had been taken before his recent glow-up. “They should have emailed me for an up-to-date picture,” he quipped on X.

One couldn’t help but wonder what a parent bereaved by the regime’s executioners would have made of that. Or, indeed, how they would feel about the attitude of many British and European opinionators towards this war. Bigging up the resilience of Iranian forces; downplaying the achievements of the allies; wishing failure upon Donald Trump; prophesying victory for Tehran. It’s relentless, isn’t it?

It’s not just the journalists. In the past, Jeremy Corbyn was paid £20,000 to appear on the regime’s propaganda television channel, for goodness’ sake. On Monday, Friedrich Merz, the normally quite sound German chancellor, declared that Washington “quite obviously went into this war without any strategy”, heaping praise on the regime for “negotiating very skilfully”. In a statement that surely delighted the butchers of Tehran, he added: “A whole nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership.” Quick! Get another billboard printed!
Iran football chief with IRGC past to visit Canada for FIFA event
ARevolutionary Guards commander turned Iran's football chief has been granted special permission to enter Canada for a FIFA event despite being otherwise inadmissible, according to government sources who spoke to Iran International.

Sources within the Canadian government said Taj was issued a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), effectively overriding his inadmissibility under strict conditions, including mandatory check-ins during his stay.

A TRP allows individuals who are otherwise barred from entering or remaining in Canada to do so for a limited period if authorities determine there is a compelling reason.

Such permits can be used to overcome inadmissibility linked to criminal, medical or security grounds.

Taj’s career reflects deep ties to Iran’s political and military establishment, blurring the lines between the country’s security apparatus and sports administration.

His early trajectory began shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when he served as an intelligence commander in the IRGC in Isfahan.

That affiliation helped pave the way for later roles in business and sports, including senior management positions at major steel companies such as Mobarakeh Steel Company and Zob Ahan through connections with influential political and industrial figures.

Analysts say the IRGC’s footprint across Iran’s football sector is extensive, with parts of the industry’s financial and organizational structures linked to entities aligned with the security apparatus—further underscoring Taj’s position within that system.


Memorial wall in Golders Green targeted in suspected arson attack
A memorial wall in Golders Green, north London, has been targeted in a suspected arson attack.

The Metropolitan Police said it received reports of a fire at the site in Limes Avenue on Monday but the wall itself was not damaged.

While counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation, the incident is not being treated as terrorism, the force said.

It follows another alleged arson attack that saw four Jewish community ambulances destroyed in Golders Green in late March, one of a series of apparent attacks targeting Jewish sites.

The memorial wall is a tribute to thousands of protesters killed in a crackdown in Iran in January and is near a Jewish centre.


AP and France24 Manipulate the Narrative on Child Casualties
Both AP and France24 also rely on Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah as a source.

This, too, raises serious questions.

Abu-Sittah has previously been exposed by HonestReporting. In November 2023, he promoted conspiracy theories about Israeli use of white phosphorus while denying Hamas activity in hospitals. In March 2025, he openly praised Hamas as “the resistance.”

Yet in both reports, he is presented without challenge or context.

That is not neutral sourcing. It is selective amplification.

The human cost of war is undeniable. Innocent lives are lost. Civilian suffering is real.

But when coverage strips away context, when data is framed selectively, when key details are omitted, and when partisan voices are platformed without scrutiny, what remains is not journalism.

It is narrative construction carefully designed to impact readers emotionally, rather than reflect reality.

AP and France24 published near-identical stories, on the same day, centered on the same case.

That is not coincidence. It is convergence. And the result is a deeply misleading portrayal of a complex and tragic reality.
A Royal Omission: What CNN Did Not Tell You About a Qatari Interviewee
As if CNN’s recent reporting on Iran hadn’t already blurred enough ethical lines, Becky Anderson’s April 12, 2026 interview on the ceasefire with Iran crossed another. She presented her guest merely as a think tank fellow while failing to disclose that the commentator was a member of Qatar’s ruling family with military training. The guest had also publicly and repeatedly engaged in extreme anti-Israel rhetoric, including calling Israel “the most evil nation.”

A screenshot of the Instagram post by the account @Arabianroyalagency that identifies Al Thani as a member of Qatar’s royal family and shows her in a Qatar armed forces uniform, posted Dec. 13, 2024.

Anderson solely identified Alanoud Hamad Saud Al Thani as a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council), leaving viewers with the impression that Al Thani would serve as an objective and independent regional analyst. During the broadcast, Al Thani cited Gaza (which she referred to as Palestine) and Lebanon as examples of prior ceasefires, without mentioning Israel by name.

The Doha-based and government-linked think tank has posted multiple interviews featuring Al Thani on X, while tagging (mentioning) her account. This includes a previous interview on Mar. 5, in which Anderson also did not disclose her background.




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