Andrew Bolt: Does it ever occur to journalists talking to authorities in Gaza that these people might lie?

The ABC has a sick history of smearing Israel and now Anthony Albanese has suggested – absent proof – that Israel was “targeting” a crowded hospital.

The ABC has a sick history of smearing Israel, but I expected better of the Prime Minister in reacting to the ghastly bombing of a hospital in Gaza.

How could he suggest – absent proof – that Israel did it, and was “targeting” a crowded hospital?

No surprises, of course, that the ABC repeated the spin of the Hamas terrorist group that runs Gaza: it was the Jews that did this. It tweeted: “Israeli air strike has killed hundreds of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital crammed with patients and displaced people, health authorities in the besieged enclave say.”

Does it ever occur to journalists talking to authorities in Gaza that these people might lie?

The ABC has repeated the spin of the Hamas terrorist group. Picture: AFP

They might be scared to tell the truth in a regime run by terrorists so brutal they ordered their gunmen to slaughter Jewish men, women and children, burning even babies alive?

Hamas lies. It also likes dead Palestinians, to shame Israel.

But how sad to see Anthony Albanese also suggest Israel was targeting hospitals, even after Israel’s military said they had proof the hospital was actually bombed, accidentally, by Islamic Jihad terrorists.

Granted, he did not directly blame Israel, but his implication was clear: “We condemn any indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.”

It is right for Albanese to mourn the dead at the al-Ahli hospital. The suffering is shocking. But why assume Israel did it? It wasn’t in its interests. The deaths there are another excuse for its haters to destroy it.

I’ve seen two independent videos, one from a live broadcast by Al Jazeera, showing a rocket fired at Israel from Gaza rise in the dark before there’s a flash, as if there was a malfunction, and seconds later there’s an explosion at the hospital below.

Geoconfirmed, an internet site that fact-checks videos, said these backed Israel’s claim: “Conclusion: A missile launched by a Palestinian group exploded mid-air (reason unknown) and one piece fell on the hospital causing an explosion.”

An Israeli Defence Forces spokesman said they would also release audio intercepts of jihadists admitting their rocket caused the explosion.

I’m no expert. I can’t tell who is right, but the evidence so far is that Israel may well be innocent. I may be wrong, but Israel deserves the benefit of the doubt.

So shame on those who were so quick to assume the Jews were guilty, as if they really wanted them smeared with the blood of the innocents.

Originally published as Andrew Bolt: Does it ever occur to journalists talking to authorities in Gaza that these people might lie?