NST Leader: Murder of journalists is now the norm

A JOURNALIST who speaks truth to power and a gunman for hire are at two ends of the humanity spectrum. So were investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech who was acquitted on Sept 2 after nine years of trial by jury for involvement in the murder of Galizia. But something bothered Maltese newspapers with Fenech admitting that he financed the murder. "Justice denied", screamed the Times of Malta. Others expressed shock and anger as Fenech was allowed to walk out of court as a free man. No journalists should be killed or otherwise silenced in other ways. Galizia didn't lose her life due to bullets but to a bomb. She was investigating corruption and links between political and business elites. Local and international media are rightly questioning if ever those who ordered and paid for her killing would be prosecuted. Fenech could have been found guilty on a lesser charge of association, but he wasn't. The Malta court's verdict comes two months after three men accused of murdering a journalist in Northern Ireland were freed. Calling the Maltese journalist's murder as a "press freedom crime", Reporters Without Borders (RSF) already issued a warning saying that the growing proximity between business and political elites may not augur well for journalism, especially in the United States. Power in Washington just doesn't like journalists who speak truth to power. So does political power in Tel Aviv, whose single goal is to forcibly expel two million Palestinians from the illegally occupied territory by the Israelis. Media reports quoting RSF say 220 journalists have been killed. Unsurprisingly, it says Palestine is the most dangerous place for journalists. If impunity crimes against civilian Palestinians were a norm before, now impunity crimes against journalists has become a norm. A total of 220 journalists isn't a small number. It is excessive, pointing to targeted killings, RSF opines. Why the impunity? Because the politically powerful in Tel Aviv knows that the militarily mighty West will not only look the other way but weaponise it. Also, it knows no United Nations Security Council resolution against Israel will be passed. Look at the crippling sanctions imposed against the International Criminal Court. Why is Israel getting away with murder? The international community cannot let journalists and their associations fight the murderous Zionist regime by themselves. They need the world behind them. War crimes do not mean anything to the Zionists because they know they have got away with genocide for more than 70 years. Know this, they seem to say, they will get away with another 70 years. Shame on you, humanity.