This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Raman Kirpal are joined by Washington Post’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief Gerry Shih and journalist and author Jyotsna Mohan. The conversation spans global and domestic developments, with a focus on the Israel-Gaza conflict and the legacy of Indian journalism.

Gerry begins with an on-the-ground perspective from Jerusalem, highlighting Israel’s internal dynamics: “His government is actually very precarious. They’re hanging on basically just in the parliament… by like two or three seats. And because of that, he's extremely beholden to these extreme right political parties.” These factions, Gerry explains, influence Netanyahu’s military decisions: “They would rather sacrifice the hostages… and pursue the full conquest of Gaza.”

Abhinandan asks about international condemnation from countries like Germany and Canada: “Does this change anything on the ground?” Gerry replies, “We’re definitely seeing some really interesting shifts diplomatically... Germany being kind of this very unusually rare criticism given its history.”

When Abhinandan raises comparisons between press freedoms in Israel and India, Gerry notes, “There is very selective reporting… But there is still a great deal of press freedom in Israel.” He adds, “If you were to read the Israeli press… it’s very critical of Netanyahu.”

Jyotsna joins the discussion to speak about her book Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper. “It was a family newspaper started by my great-grandfather in Lahore… just about 12 days before the Jallianwala Bagh massacre,” she says. The newspaper faced crackdowns from the British, and later, blank editorials during the Emergency. “A parcel bomb was sent to their family… that exploded, killing two people in 1983,” she shares.

Addressing Indian media’s decline, she says, “I don’t know what journalism is anymore in this country… barring a handful.” She highlights polarisation, noting, “The lines have been so firmly drawn.” Abhinandan critiques Indian media’s sensationalism, stating, “The Indian media has done… a disservice… we are seen as at par” with Pakistan due to disinformation, such as false reports of a Karachi port bombing.

Abhinandan reflects on institutional integrity in journalism, asking Gerry whether the American media remains resilient: “Is that institutional solidity… a myth?” He replies, “These companies… will continue to exist… But I do worry about the Balkanisation of the media landscape… the commons – a shared set of facts – is disappearing.”

This and a lot more. Tune in!

Hafta letters: India’s real issues, growth of middle class, lack of prep