March 2024. Award Winning investigative journalist Walid Batrawi (1969, Jerusalem) left his home in Ramallah after working for almost 30 years as a journalist and witness of modern day Palestine. As one of the few Palestinian voices left he continues his work from his new home in Toronto. His most recent project being the crossborder collaborative Gaza Project with Forbidden Stories.
A Full Journalist
With the inherent awkwardness of a first-time meeting, the Toronto skyline as his zoom background, me, a little uncomfortable in my backless seat, Walid begins to walk me through his path in journalism. He started out studying civil engineering in 1987 in the former Soviet Union. Yet, with very little interest, he says ‘’I bought all these cameras, Zenith cameras, in Moscow and started developing films. I went out to take pictures. I found out there was something leading me to journalism.’’
Arabic, English, Russian and a little Hebrew was what landed him his first job in journalism. His first trip? As a translator for the BBC to help report on the Gulf War in 1991. After that many local (e.g., Al-Ayyam) and foreign (e.g., CBC) news outlets followed.
His work varied from reporting to producing to doing camerawork, he says ‘’I mean I thought there are more skills in journalism. Writing alone does not make you a full journalist. I wanted to be a full journalist.’
Witnessing History
From the killing of former prime minister Rabin in Tel Aviv to Arafat’s visit to Gaza, most of us read or saw from a comfortable distance, Walid was never far from the scene. ‘’I would say I have witnessed the modern history of Palestine since 1991. I was there when they signed the Oslo Agreements. Not in Washington, but I was in Jerusalem. It was a historical moment in Jerusalem. It was the first time for me to see people freely raising the Palestinian Flag.’’
However, it is not only witnessing, he says ‘’Also, trying to tell a story. Not necessarily only for Palestinians, for our nation, but also elsewhere. We always say journalism is the first draft of history. So, that is what I believe in.’’
Being a Palestinian journalist comes with a deeper contextual understanding. ‘’Being a Palestinian journalist working in the foreign media and being part of the editorial decision making is very important. We see on the other side that Israel is really involved in editorial decision making. So, it is very important to have your fingerprints in any editorial decision making. That does not necessarily mean that it is a pro-Palestine story, but it is a professional story based on facts.’’
‘I Am Not Going To Ask For Any Asylum’
With his daughter being a Canadian and Canada having special measures in place for immediate family members, Toronto became his new base. His work permit allows him to continue his job. ‘’I am not a refugee. I am not going to ask for any asylum. You are not allowed to go to your country for 5 years. That is something I don’t want.’’
His advice to younger people is to not stick to what you know: educate yourself. All in all, Walid is pretty content with his work as a journalist. His score? An eight. He does sometimes fantasize, he laughs ‘’I wish I started my career by opening a little supermarket rather than journalism, because in a supermarket you are more sustainable’.