Opinion: 'Israel is caught lying time and again. And yet we never learn'

In his latest column for Middle East Eye, Jonathan Cook argues that Israeli disinformation over a deadly blast at Gaza's al-Ahli hospital has taken the focus off Palestinian victims. 

He writes: "Instead of giving the victims proper attention, instead of finally galvanising anger over Israel’s wanton killing of thousands of Palestinian civilians in two weeks, the media’s reporting reverted to a predictable formula.

It weighed claim and counter-claim over the hospital strike, it carried profiles about Islamic Jihad, and - most importantly for Israel - it adopted a wait-and-see, don’t-rush-to-judgment approach.

A moment that might have led to concerted diplomatic pressure on Israel to stop its rampage and negotiate a ceasefire dissolved into a round of bickering in which the hospital victims entirely disappeared from view.

By the time outside observers get into Gaza and carry out forensic tests, assuming they can, the story will be cold. No one will care, and Israel will not be held to account - morally, diplomatically or legally."

You can read the full opinion piece below. 

Column: Israel is caught lying time and again. And yet we never learn