(Daily360.com) – CNN contributor and foreign political analyst Rula Jebreal recently appeared on the network and accused Israel of partaking in an “ethnic cleansing” as part of the war with Hamas. The University of Miami professor said that if Israel allows refugees to leave the Gaza area but not return at some point this would be tantamount to an ethnic cleansing. She seemed to downplay Hamas’ actions by saying they are only “30,000 or 40,000” people compared to the over one million refugees the war will create.
Jebreal acknowledged the surrounding nations have declined to take refugees and said it is Israel’s responsibility to offer the refugees a safe haven and then also allow them to return “to the land they belong to.” Jebreal went out of her way to excuse the nation of Jordan with regard to refugees by saying Jordan is largely Palestinian already and has previously taken refugees from Syria and Iraq. She praised Jordan for “paying the consequences of both Israeli action and American action.”
Jebreal said that if Israel “really cares about human life” and the sanctity of it they will create a place for displaced Palestinians. She called Israel the “ultimate power” regarding refugees created by this war.
Social media responses to her comments were swift and mostly unfavorable. Commenters accused Jebreal of being hypocritical because she never referenced the attack on Israel or Hamas’ stated motivation—to ‘exterminate the Jewish race.’ Others mocked her credentials as a journalist and author, while questioning why she believes Israel is solely responsible for refugees. They also question Jebreal for not calling on other Middle Eastern nations to help with the dismantling of Hamas.
Many users pointed out that if Israel were involved in an ‘ethnic cleansing’ operation they would likely not warn the citizens to clear the area before attacking. Media pundit Dave Rubin noted that Gaza’a population increases every year and Israel’s overt actions to clear civilians negate Jebreal’s position and then he referred to CNN as an “embarrassment.”
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