“One day I was taken aside and said, ‘You may or may not know that we are part of the CIA, but please don’t tell anyone.’ I was really excited and not really surprised. The application process was extensive and took 10 months. They looked into my personality and my background and had visited communist countries. I asked if they had visited and if they had formed any relationships while there.”
Connection with MOSSAD
An investigation by MintPress News revealed that Mr. Berg had deep professional ties to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, as well as the author of his book Red Sea Spies: Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort, which tells the story of the agency’s covert operations. It was revealed that he was writing a true story. Smuggling Ethiopian Jews into Israel.
Introducing his book, Berg said he knew “almost nothing” about the story or its context before writing it, and that he wrote it “in collaboration” with Mossad commander Dani Limor, whom he trusted extensively. said.
Limor opened numerous doors and was able to secure “more than 100 hours of interviews” with Israeli military and intelligence officials, including the head of Mossad.
“Limor and Berg have become very close friends. In 2020, he posted a photo of himself with his arm around the former Mossad commander. The first page of ‘The Spy of the Red Sea’ features former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevi This is nothing more than a glowing recommendation from Mr. Berg, who described the group as “the world’s largest intelligence agency,” MintPress News reported.
The report also notes that Berg expressed delight that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had shown interest in his book, framed a letter that Netanyahu had sent him as a thank you, and sent a letter to a Mossad commander. He also mentioned that he placed it in his office next to a photo of Berg, whom he met with. Mark Regev is a former press secretary in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Organized Israeli propaganda
According to MintPress News, Raffi Berg has been clear about his support for Israel and its military since taking over at the BBC.
The report alleges that during the deadly 2016 Operation Cast Lead, he instructed his newsroom colleagues to tell stories in a way that did not criticize or “unduly emphasize” Israel. He pointed out that he had been promoted to head of the BBC’s Middle East. 2012.
During Operation Cast Lead, Israeli forces were found to have indiscriminately targeted and killed civilians, used Palestinians as human shields, and used banned chemical weapons such as white phosphorus in civilian areas.
Berg’s leaked emails state that “Bergh encouraged journalists to present the attack as an operation ‘aimed at stopping rocket fire from Gaza,’ thereby framing Hamas as the aggressor.” MintPress News pointed out that it was revealed that the
In his new role as executive editor, Berg has been instrumental in turning the network into “organized Israeli propaganda” during Israel’s ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, according to a journalist cited by DropSight Investigates. is said to have contributed.
“Almost every correspondent you know has a problem with him…He’s been mentioned in multiple meetings but[management]ignores it,” said another journalist. spoke.
According to Dropsite’s investigation, Berg allegedly extensively edited other people’s articles before publication and reframed news events to protect Israel from criticism.
One example cited in the report is the BBC’s coverage of the death of Mohamed Bar, a Palestinian man with Down syndrome, who was killed by Israeli forces with an attack dog. The injured Burr was left to die of blood loss as the military refused medical assistance.
“Under Mr. Berg’s direction, the original headline was “Gaza man with Down syndrome dies alone.” “It was only after massive outcry around the world that the BBC changed its frame to make any reference to how Barr met his end,” the report said.
The report also said that despite internal complaints against Mr Berg pointing to bias and an unprofessional approach, the BBC “provided unequivocal support for him and his work”.
Western media coverage of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has come under heavy criticism for allegedly “whitewashing” and “downplaying” Israel’s war crimes. It has also been criticized for promoting several false narratives promoted by Israel.
According to an Al Jazeera investigation last October, CNN aired a report promoting false claims that Hamas had a presence inside Al-Lantisi Children’s Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which was bombed by Israel.
CNN International Diplomacy Editor Nick Robertson, one of the few international journalists allowed into Gaza by the Israeli military, was shown a document written in Arabic posted on a hospital wall and told by an IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari of Mann claimed it was evidence of Hamas. The facility was used to hide Israeli prisoners of war.
“It wasn’t a Hamas directory at all… It was a calendar, with the days of the week written in Arabic. But the report that came out from Nick Robertson just took Israel’s claims at face value,” CNN said. said the journalist. He told Al Jazeera.
He added that the footage was broadcast even after the Palestinian producer alerted his colleagues, including Robertson.
