Palestinian journalist Mariam Barghouti takes up CCCB residency

Palestinian-American journalist Mariam Barghouti will be in residence at Barcelona Contemporary Cultural Centre (CCCB) from May to July, where she will organize talks and seminars on war reporting, media ethics, and the role of witnessing in conflict zones.

Barghouti, who succeeds Russian writer and journalist Maria Stepanova in the residency program, is known for her on-the-ground reporting in the West Bank. 

A native of Ramallah, West Bank, she holds degrees in English literature and sociology and has worked for outlets such as Al Jazeera English, Newsweek, The Guardian, the BBC, and Middle East Eye. 

For more than a decade, she has reported on Israeli policies in the occupied territories, as well as the war in Gaza.

As part of her residency, Barghouti will deliver the lecture 'Orwell and Palestine: Language as a Weapon' on May 11, which has already sold out. She will also host discussions including 'Journalism After Gaza' on May 21, 'When Wars are Footnotes' with reporter Zeinab Salih on June 10, and 'What it Cost Telling the Truth' with journalist Laila Al-Arian on June 17. 

She will also take part in the Barcelona-based book 'Literal' fair and cultural festival focused on radical ideas, critical thinking, and political literature. 

Criticism of Israel

During a meeting with journalists marking the start of her stay, Barghouti criticized international correspondents for "building careers on the backs of Palestinians."

"I remember so many correspondents would come just after a very violent incident, and they just want that image of the families crying. It's an abuse; we local journalists know how to take a step back," she said.

Drawing on her experience, Barghouti argued that Israel "is not a normal state, but rather a rogue regime," adding that "when you have Israelis posting videos of themselves shooting Palestinians, something is wrong." 

She also suggested that the Israeli government has attempted to restrict access to information.

Barghouti also accused major international outlets of censorship, saying some discouraged the use of terms such as 'genocide' or 'ethnic cleansing'. According to her, this censorship can involve both omission and deliberate framing that creates confusion.

Personal toll

Barghouti highlighted the personal risks of reporting as a Palestinian journalist. 

"My relationships with my colleagues are being controlled. My friends have been interrogated, and that's very scary," she said.

"You constantly ask yourself whether to go back to the field, write another story, or stop. Then you realize that's the goal, to make you stop. That's where I renew my commitment," she added.

Asked about the future of Palestine, Barghouti said the outcome remains uncertain. "Palestinians can be erased or they can be liberated. I don't think there's an in-between," she said.

Barghouti is the seventh participant in the CCCB's international residency program, organized in collaboration with the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and funded by the Mir-Puig Foundation. 

Previous residents have included journalists Patrick Radden Keefe, Eliane Brum, and Patricia Evangelista, among others.