Palestinians shout slogans at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, following clashes with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City April 15, 2022. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

At a time when more and more journalists have decided to eschew objectivity and truth in favor of partisan advocacy, the Guardian’s naked promotion of the Palestinian cause is an example of how low media organizations can go without the ethical guardrails that have long governed the profession.

The UK outlet doesn’t merely uncritically amplify the Palestinian narrative at every opportunity, but often — by blurring cause and effect and omitting elements of the story that would paint Palestinians in a negative light whilst imputing Israeli malevolence — routinely publishes articles libeling the Jewish state.

The latest example involves an April 15 video report and article that was published on Palestinian violence at the Temple Mount compound. Here’s the Guardian’s summary of the video, in which readers are informed that the “clashes” began when Israeli police entered the mosque.

A Guardian article on the incident, by Ben Lynfield and Oliver Holmes, opened with the same formulation:

Medics say more than 150 Palestinians have been injured in clashes that erupted when Israeli riot police entered Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque compound, in the most significant violence at the holy site since similar scenes sparked a war last year. [emphasis added]

Later in the article, we’re told:

Palestinians view any large deployment of police at al-Aqsa as a major provocation.

Here’s the Guardian video:

Now, here’s what really happened:

Around 4 AM on Friday morning, dozens of Palestinians began marching around the Al-Aqsa Mosque (some carrying banners associated with Hamas), and started breaking stones and then throwing them at police and Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall below — while stockpiling more rocks at the mosque to prepare for further attacks. Palestinians later barricaded themselves inside the mosque and hurled stones and fireworks toward officers.

The violence prevented large numbers of Muslim from worshiping at Al-Aqsa.

Israeli police moved in to quell the riot only after morning prayers were concluded.

Here’s a video released by police, which includes footage of Palestinians throwing rocks and fireworks from inside the mosque:

The rioting followed a call by Hamas for Muslims to escalate against Israel in Jerusalem. Earlier in the month, the Palestinian Authority (PA) warned Muslims that Israel was going to commit a massacre in Jerusalem in order to take full control of Al-Aqsa — a variation of the “Al-Aqsa is in danger” libel that has long incited Palestinian violence against Jews.

Israeli police detained hundreds, and used non-lethal riot control methods to end the violence, thus allowing the mosque to re-open, enabling more than 50,000 Muslim worshippers to return to the mosque for Ramadan prayers. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 158 were injured — a majority of which were reportedly due to tear gas inhalation. Three Israeli police were injured by Palestinian rock throwing.

So, in summary, contrary to the Guardian’s claim, the “clashes” at the Temple Mount did not happen as the result of Israeli police entering the mosque. The Israeli police entered the mosque to quell riots initiated hours earlier by Palestinians, pre-planned violence — incited by Palestinians leaders — that was preventing tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers from praying.

Considering how frequently Palestinians falsely claim that Jews are “desecrating” the mosque, when all they’re doing is peacefully visiting their holiest site (the Temple Mount), it’s telling that outlets like The Guardian often amplify such lies, whilst failing to report when the mosque is truly desecrated by Palestinians themselves using the site as a staging ground and a barricade for rioting and terror.

For Guardian editors, journalists, and contributors, the actual truth regarding incidents occurring in Israel and the Palestinian territories — something only ascertained via an arduous process of investigation and critical scrutiny — is simply not the goal. The outlet has shown what happens when curiosity, skepticism, impartiality, and the hard work of journalism gives way to hubris, cynicism, partisanship, and intellectual uniformity. They believe their job in reporting on the region is to force the facts to conform to the desired story, and not the other way around.

Adam Levick serves co-editor of CAMERA UK — an affiliate of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA), where a version of this article was first published.