Mehdi Hasan’s hypocritical Ed Sheeran attack reveals his own double standard on Israel - opinion

This opinion piece in The Jerusalem Post by Micha Danzig accuses journalist Mehdi Hasan of hypocrisy for criticizing Ed Sheeran's silence on Gaza while allegedly applying a double standard to Israel. It details Hasan's past controversial statements, his defense of Ilhan Omar, his handling of the Al Ahli hospital explosion, and his employment by Al Jazeera, which the article ties to Qatari support for Hamas. The piece argues Hasan's focus on Israel is disproportionate and ideologically driven.

This opinion piece by Micha Danzig, published in The Jerusalem Post, launches a detailed attack on journalist Mehdi Hasan, accusing him of hypocrisy for criticizing Ed Sheeran's silence on Gaza. The author argues that Hasan's own record reveals a double standard when it comes to Israel. The article catalogs Hasan's past controversial statements, including 2009 speeches comparing non-Muslims to 'animals' and linking homosexuality to 'sexual deviance,' for which he later apologized. It also highlights his defense of Rep. Ilhan Omar's 2012 tweet about Israel having 'hypnotized the world,' which the author characterizes as antisemitic. The piece further criticizes Hasan for implying Israel was responsible for the October 2023 Al Ahli hospital explosion, a claim later contradicted by US intelligence, and for not correcting the record. The author also points to Hasan's employment by Al Jazeera, a network funded by the Qatari government, which the article notes has hosted and supported Hamas's political leadership. The article concludes that Hasan's fixation on Israel is disproportionate and ideologically driven, contrasting it with the lack of attention he pays to other global conflicts.