I apologise for the break, I have been setting up in Beirut to cover the Israeli assault from here.
This has been quite a logistic challenge. I am accompanied by Niels Ladefoged, the cinematographer with Wikileaks who was with Julian Assange on his flight to Australia. Readers of this blog know Niels as the cinematographer of Ithaka who was my companion on the month long tour of Germany I made with that film.
We have needed to get to Beirut and then get safe accommodation, and organise internet, a car and driver, interpreters etc. I am lucky to have some very good local introductions to get us started, but obviously do not have the kind of support a media organisation offers.
One thing we have needed to obtain is passes to enter and operate in the evacuated areas of the city. We can without them move freely around much of Beirut including the centre, and film. We have also been able to enter the bombed out areas and look, but could not stay longer and take pictures or videos there without permission from local committees, which we have been awaiting.
There are two dangers. The first is assassination by the Israelis, who target journalists specifically. The second is that local people are understandably outraged and are suspicious of westerners, with good cause. A cursory check of me first brings the information that I am a former British diplomat, which can bring misunderstanding. That is why permits and protection from local committees is highly recommended to us.
I have sketched out a first article about what I have seen, but really want to get images to accompany it. I am hoping we will solve this today.
It is very expensive to do this trip. I have no financial backing at all other than readers of this blog. Once I get out the first article I shall be launching a specific crowdfund appeal, but meantime if you are not a subscriber yet, please do so using one of the methods below.
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Writing in Beirut, Lebanon pic.twitter.com/vYX7B7RGsx
— Craig Murray (@CraigMurrayOrg) October 29, 2024
We all have to do what we can to stop this genocide. I have helped initiate the genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, and have been lobbying at the UN for Israel’s suspension. But just now, being here reporting the Israeli assault from the resistance side is what I believe I can do best to contribute.
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Thank you Craig. Stay safe if you can.
Credit to you Craig, I am sure you will provide valuable observations and insights from one of Israel’s killing zones.
I fear however you are as vulnerable as a lamb in Beirut. Particularly because there is a third danger in that city very closely intertwined with the first.
Namely, your old mates the British establishment:
https://thecradle.co/articles/double-cross-how-lebanons-military-intelligence-spies-for-london
Here too
https://thecradle.co/articles/secrecy-shrouds-british-military-actions-in-lebanon
We know from their actions over the past year that they are not averse to surveilling and identifying on Israel’s behalf. And that has just been unknown, voiceless Palestinians who are no thorn in the side of the British establishment.
If it’s of any use, I remember reading in Thomas Friedman’s “From Beirut to Jerusalem” many years ago that, when he asked a member of Hezbollah for a permit or pass so that he could move around freely, the man looked at him as if he were crazy, than tore off the corner of a poster (I forget what symbol or picture was on it), and Friedman could get around by waving this.
So, if you can’t get a permit, try the corner of a poster instead.
Good luck!
I salute and admire your courage. But, you are a marked man, and have been so for many years.
I can only hope that you do stay alive and uninjured as we need your rare voice of sanity in this increasingly disintegrating world.
Take care. You’re going down the Robert Fisk route, being at the centre of the storm. Look forward to your reports.
Mr Murray is my hero! Please stay safe.
Perhaps, in an idle moment, you could update your wikipedia [and other] entries? Watch out you don’t give away your geolocation [or set up a false one in the middle of nowhere]. Most of all, try to stay safe.
Wikipedia starts : “Craig John Murray (born 17 October 1958) is a Scottish author, human rights campaigner, journalist, and former diplomat” …. at the moment.
He already has given away his geolocation, Jan (see embedded video*). It will have taken the Israelis less than 5 minutes to work out where he’s staying. If they’d have known he wouldn’t even be doing *basic* operational security on his trip, they probably wouldn’t have bothered sending the drone up.
* There’s a reason that ISIS members blur out the minor undulations in the Syrian desert backdrops to their pledges of allegiance to their latest caliph, before posting the videos on their channels.
“I apologise for the break,”
Lol. What break?
CM’s Twitter feed has been exceptional for the last few weeks even as it is throttled by Musks Mean Minions.
It took me hours to catch up and follow up many great threads there.
I recommend all who haven’t yet, to keep track of it – I use a nitter feed as I am allergic to single and 3 lettered entity’s.
https://nitter.poast.org/CraigMurrayOrg
CM is a Great Soul.
Worthy of title ‘Mahatma’
Not just for his sacrifices of riches.
They threaten him daily but he does not Fear.
He is Feared.
I am more scared knowing he is there.
Sending an extra pony on the way today to help his ride as we await,
his despatches from the genocide.