A Palestinian news organization has fabricated an interview with Egypt’s leading opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei. In the comments, which were published by al-Qassem news site, it alleges that the former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief told them that he supported Palestinian resistance and “described resistance the only path open to the Palestinian people, because the Israeli occupation only understands the language of force.”
However, upon further checking and a message received by Ali ElBaradei, the opposition leader’s brother and press contact, it appears the entire “interview” was made up.
“If you are referring to the interview with that Palestinian media agency, it is total bogus,” the brother told Bikya Masr. “He never gave such an interview.”
According to al-Qassem, they reported that ElBaradei had said “the peace process has become a stupid joke ,which we talk about without achieving any progress.” But, the comments never occurred. The agency added that ElBaradei said that “Arabs should back their negotiation option with force and deterrence.”
It begs the question as to why an organization would create a false interview with such a high profile Egyptian politician. According to Mohamed Latif, a Palestinian media analyst and blogger based in Ramallah, the idea was probably to create solidarity with the Palestinian cause, “after so much frustration with Egyptian political leaders.”
However, Latif believes that fabricating such interviews will do more harm than good to other Palestinian news organizations and agencies who seek proper news gathering.
“Now, it will be even harder for Palestinian reporters and organizations to deal with ElBaradei because there will be a lot of suspicion as to how the quotes will be used and rightfully so,” he added.
The article did not simply stop at claiming ElBaradei believes in armed resistance, but had the opposition figure lashing out at the Egyptian government for the construction of a steel wall along the Gaza border and the conditions of Palestinians.
Al-Qassam wrote that “he [ElBaradei] also criticized Cairo’s construction of a steel wall along the border with the Gaza Strip, aimed at disrupting Palestinians’ ’survival’ tunnel network, as harmful to Egypt’s reputation.” They added that ElBaradei “described Egypt’s construction of the wall as joining Israel in its closure of the strip, which he said ‘has become the world’s largest prison’.”
“The logical solution to the problem would be to close the tunnels and open border crossings while creating a free trade zone in Rafah where Palestinians can trade and then return to Gaza,” they quoted the Nobel Peace Prize winner as saying.
Here in Cairo, activists are dumbfounded, as the interview shocked many who wondered why ElBaradei would have said such comments in the first place. Now, it obviously makes sense.
One activist, who participated in both the April 6 and 13 demonstrations that were violently suppressed by the Egyptian security forces, said that she believes these kind of false interviews will take the credibility way from the opposition and the goal of change in Egypt.
“We must be hard to expose these kind of false reporting because it will give the Egyptian government the ability to tell the world that we are violent and should not be listened to,” Dina Hisham said. “ElBaradei is our future and we can’t stand for this crap.”
International news agencies such as Iran’s PressTV and Israeli newspaper Ynet also reported the fabricated interview in their editions.
Joseph Mayton @'Bikya Masr'
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