Ahlam Muhtaseb is a professor of communication at California State University, San Bernardino and producer of the film “1948: Creation & Catastrophe.” She spoke at the UC People’s Tribunal for Palestine and talked about the killing of Gaza journalist Yahya Sobeih. Israeli forces have killed over 180 journalists in Gaza and the West Bank, including Palestinian American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. 

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The assault on Gaza is being waged not only with bombs and blockades but also by digital infrastructure, surveillance technology, and global media narratives.

Major tech platforms are playing a role. Meta has been accused of censoring Palestinian voices. Microsoft technologies are entangled with military operations. Artificial intelligence tools are reportedly being used to monitor and target students. Meanwhile, media empires like Rupert Murdoch’s continue to shape public opinion in ways that obscure the realities on the ground.

Rapper and activist Lowkey joined Rania Khalek, host of Dispatches on Breakthrough News, to break down how digital systems are being used to suppress solidarity, and how today’s technologies are enabling the global infrastructure of repression.

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Turkey, under the presidency of Recep Tayip Erdogan, supported the Al Qaeda affiliate whose leader is now the president of Syria. Erdogan has also fueled the growth of Islamic fundamentalism across the Middle East. Derya Koca, a journalist and activist with the Socialist Workers Party of Turkey, spoke to Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer.

And that concludes today’s edition of Capitalism, Race & Democracy. We thank all of Pacifica’s sister stations and affiliates who contribute to the production of this show. Today’s program was produced by the Capitalism, Race & Democracy collective, with contributions from Steve Zeltzer, Freddy Libertad, and Polina Vasiliev.

You can find this and all previous episodes at our website “capitalism race and democracy dot ORG”. Make sure you click the subscribe button. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @PacificaCRD. 

Thanks for listening!

Music:

Lowkey, “Long Live Palestine”

Lowkey – Long Live Palestine ft Frankie Boyle, Maverick Sabre (Part 3) [Music Video] | GRM Daily