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When Is a Journalist a Military Target?

(Substack) Maj. (ret.) Andrew Fox - The outraged commentators seem to have overlooked the substantial evidence that Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif was an active member of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, and therefore an entirely legitimate target. However, I would make the case that he was a legitimate target because he was an Al Jazeera journalist. There is a dangerous myth in modern conflict that unless you are pulling a trigger, you are somehow outside the fight. In Afghanistan, it referred to unarmed insurgent spotters on hilltops radioing in troop movements. Today, I contend that it also means information warriors. Modern militaries treat the information environment as a domain where decisive effects can be attained. We are all too well aware that in Gaza, the battle is also fought in newsrooms, on satellite feeds, and across social media. No single outlet has played a more pivotal role in shaping the global perception of the battlefield narrative than Al Jazeera. This is not independent journalism. It is state-directed strategic communication, explicitly designed to influence the conduct of hostilities. Oh boy, has it worked. The role of Al Jazeera's coverage has been decisive. They have had a critical role in bringing international pressure by saturating global audiences with emotive, selective imagery. By shaping global perception, Al Jazeera has increased the political cost of decisive action by the IDF, giving Hamas operational breathing space and prolonging the conflict. If that is not "direct participation in hostilities" under the Law of Armed Conflict, then nothing is. The writer, who served in the British Army in 2005-21, is a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and a lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
2025-08-12 00:00:00
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