NYN | News
Al Jazeera anchor Khadija Benguenna sparked widespread debate on social media after sharing a post by Palestinian journalist Ali Abu Rizq, in which he addressed the Israeli attack on journalists in Yemen, which resulted in the martyrdom of 26 Yemeni journalists.
In her comment, Benguenna emphasized the scale of Yemen’s suffering, saying:
“Yemen is paying a very heavy price in silence — without noise, without complaint… Thank you, great Yemen,”
in a clear expression of appreciation for Yemen’s endurance and a criticism of the international silence surrounding the Israeli crime.
Palestinian journalist Ali Abu Rizq had described the Israeli airstrike on the 26 September Newspaper and Al-Yemen Newspaper buildings as a “heinous political crime” committed by Israel without drawing attention from the Arab or international communities. He suggested that the silence was related to Yemen’s strong stance in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Benguenna’s remarks and her sharing of Abu Rizq’s post received widespread engagement online. While some users praised her for highlighting Yemen’s suffering, others viewed it as touching on a sensitive political issue that invites controversy.
The Israeli airstrikes on the offices of 26 September Newspaper and Al-Yemen Newspaper in the Al-Tahrir neighborhood of the capital Sana’a last Wednesday marked one of the deadliest attacks against journalists in Yemen, resulting in the martyrdom of 32 journalists, along with dozens of civilian casualties and injuries and extensive destruction in the area.
The incident has once again underscored the fragility of international protections for civilians and journalists and raised urgent questions about the international community’s silence regarding Israeli violations in Yemen.
