I Reported on Gaza's Atrocities for Years. My New Novel Reveals Why We Failed

2025-08-11 00:00:14.063

The author recounts their experience as a foreign correspondent in Israel and Palestine, detailing the atrocities witnessed and the challenges faced in reporting on the conflict. Initially optimistic, they soon grew disillusioned, observing that the public did not want to hear about the ongoing violence and suffering. This led to self-loathing and cynicism among reporters, hindering their ability to stop the atrocities. The author's experience directly informs their debut novel, "Vulture," which follows a reporter covering the 2012 Gaza war. The novel explores the cynicism and self-loathing that permeated their own reporting. The author reflects on the Western media's failure to adequately cover the conflict, highlighting the insufficient attention given to Palestinian voices and the lack of outrage in the face of atrocities. They question their own complicity and the collective failure of journalists to effectively hold power accountable. The author contrasts the Western media's reluctance to use words like "genocide" with the willingness of fiction writers to confront the harsh realities. The piece ends with a reflection on the late arrival of outrage and the devastating consequences of the Western media's silence, concluding with the publication of the author's novel.