Setting Up In Beirut

Former Ambassador, Human Rights Activist

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 access, 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 haven’t subscribed 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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