Joe Sacco, author of 'Footnotes in Gaza,' on journalism and Palestine | The Chris Hedges Report

Few journalists can be credited with as innovative and impactful a career as Joe Sacco, whose graphic novel-style reportage from his coverage of Palestine and Bosnia broke down barriers of genre to expand our concepts of what journalism could look like. Sacco appears on The Chris Hedges Report to discuss his work, the intricacies of ethics in journalism, and Israel's current genocide in Gaza.
Joe Sacco is a cartoonist and journalist and the author of several books, including 'Palestine' and 'Footnotes in Gaza'.
Studio Production: David Hebden, Adam Coley, Cameron Granadino
Post-Production: Adam Coley
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[@Edmonddantes123]

I’ve read Palestine, looking at getting Footnotes. Absolutely heartbreaking how these people have been demeaned, dehumanised, dispossessed, brutalised, for many decades, and it only ever seems to be getting worse

[@Alexdorio-kc9yf]

You are ready or want to believe just one side history. These guys are partial and supporters

[@katpuss6564]

I would like the books, but way out of my league, We have to eat?

[@Edmonddantes123]

@@Alexdorio-kc9yf I know the other side of the story inside and out, it’s the one I have been taught all my life

[@erigerontriteleia]

@@Alexdorio-kc9yfomg… WHY are you gaslighting for the maniacally brutal psychopathic side?! Objective truth needs to be heard too like this one, you know🙏.

[@YourMajesty143]

​@@Alexdorio-kc9yf- Yes, these journalists are one-sided supporters, but that's not a bad thing. There's no room for objectivity when dealing with fascists. There's no "both sides" when choosing between an oppressor and the oppressed. There's no nuance or context that Isræl could add (or even propaganda that it's known to inculcate) that could excuse the dehumanizing injustice they've inflicted on Palestine. Idc what you think was promised to you or what your scripture says or how technologically advanced & "civilized" you may think you are, none of that erases the destructive way that the 🇮🇱 state behaves as an abusive sᵉttlᵉr c0lonist & occupying enforcer of apartheid.

[@JillianEmerson-me8cx]

Thank you , Joe Sacco, Chris Hedges and the Real News Network. Voices of compassion and wisdom in this American wilderness of violence and stupidity.

[@user-qf1zg4zz8j]

Beautifully said - thank you for your truth.

[@greenwoodtea]

Chris Hedges -- Fantastic video- with Joe Sacco. Im a Jewish American. Keep reporting the truth. You must break thru the wall of emotions and the propaganda. I have personally worked for 1 congressman and have been elected locally myself. My background is international law and relations. I also have a very small voice and will not be silent concerning Gaza. Keep the truth in the light.

[@user-qf1zg4zz8j]

Keep up the good work - our voice is being heard.

[@SwirlingDervish536]

thank you.

[@hindculhane470]

Mr. Hedges I salute your dedication to real and honest journalism on the side of justice.

[@albertbrandenburg720]

Chris Hedges.You have given me hope in integrity of the sort of trusted journalism you and your noble colleagues have dedicated in the promotion of sincere objectivity

[@jonathankranz2799]

Thank you, thank you! This is what journalism is SUPPOSED to be.

[@kb_100]

I've been trying to read Footnotes in Gaza for the past 2 years. But it's so heartbreaking that I have to put it down every few chapters. I then need a long time to build up the courage to read it again. It is a jaw dropping work though. The illustrations are absolutely spectacular.

[@xdanbo1859]

I have had a similar experience. It makes me physically ill to read. We have to be strong and relate this work to as many people as possible, I just warn them it is a hard read. But so important that world knows the plight of Palestine.

[@JustAPawnFolks]

Completely understand the "heartbreaking" bit. Even Normal Finkelstein admits to being exhausted, if I understand him right.

[@myrtillesm3532]

Can we imagine how heartwrenching it is for courageous Palestinians. 🇦🇪🇦🇪🍉🇦🇪🇦🇪🍉🍉💝💝💝🍉🇦🇪🍉 i did'nt read it yes and i cry. I'll read it as a deep deep solidarity with the oppressed. 🍉🇦🇪💝🍉🇦🇪💝🍉🇦🇪💝

[@THISISREVOLUTIONpodcast]

Joe Sacco is a great comrade, and an amazing journalist. Palestine is a must own for anyone that wants to understand what's going on. (J.Myles)

[@RobinHerzig]

I see you Jason 😃

[@sdeshera]

Chris should be on mainstream media. People need to hear the depth of his interviews. ....breakthrough the ignorance

[@kathleenhillock9366]

PBS used to be the source for that kind of programming. But no more. They have been fully captured by the same elites that own our government. PBS nowadays is mostly cartoons, nature programs, reruns of old British dry comedy and drooling over useless antiques.

[@mk4922]

That's why Chris will NEVER be on mainstream media!

[@georgestavri4474]

Unfortunately there is No room for journalists with spine in the main stream media

[@d.thorpe2046]

he was. they fired him for having a spine and telling the truth.

[@zumamaya2396]

He was on RT...until RT was banned on Western TV

[@Cheateaux]

I purchased Joe’s Palestine cartoon/graphic novel several weeks back and have been going through it on my free time. It’s a unique and insightful look into the daily plight of Palestinians during the Intifada, and I highly recommend it to anyone to supplement their reading on the subject.

[@66hats]

These two men are men of conscience and courage. Thank you

[@JillT123]

Thank you both for this heartbreaking and enlightening discussion. Free Palestine 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 in this lifetime.

[@annchendoherty9558]

Thank you for this fascinating and informative interview. I’ll definitely look out for Joe’s books. As a South African, l went to Palestine precisely because l wanted to understand the situation there. l was appalled by the brutal apartheid and the obsessively invasive surveillance system kept afloat with daily humiliation and dehumanisation that the Palestinians were subjected to on a daily basis. I’m relieved that this conspiracy of silence has been torn apart and that many world citizens are discovering with horror the reality that Palestinians had been dealing with for decades. Here’s hoping for justice and peace.❤

[@user-qf1zg4zz8j]

and thank you South Africa - the legacy of Nelson Mandela is clear to see and magnificent to behold.

[@sambaxrock]

I grew up reading Joe's book, it was very formative on my compassion and respect toward the Palestinian people.

[@tiemiahu9947]

Thank you Chris, for this Interview with Joe Sacco, brought back a lot of memories of what I remeber about the contnual conflicts between Israel and Palestine. I'm Maori, 62, from New Zealand, under a falsely self -incorporated British colonial settler government, and can patially understand just what the Palestinians have been going through and fully feel for them. The key is to survive, "he who fight and run away, live to fight another day", never give up Palestine...

[@redwine2664]

Joe Sacco was born on the Island of Malta and his parents emigrated to Australia, when he was a child. So he understands what colonialism and its evil practices, are all about!

[@tiemiahu9947]

Thanks for your comment, the history of what the British did to the Aboriginies is truely shocking, second only to what happened in the Americas with the First Nation Indians, our country was the last to be colonised so they had sharpened their game when they hit our people, to quote Chazz Freeman "Colonialism inveriably leads to genocide", unquote.@@redwine2664

[@boiledbread9937]

Wow, I remember 30 years ago running into Joe's work. Fantastic details. I look at him as a backpacker going through the world with eyes wide open. Fantastic human being with many faults .

[@marcusmaher-triskellionfil5158]

He had a degree in Journalism AND couldn't get a journalism job? THAT RIGHT THERE!! Joe Sacco didn't need a degree, or a job in journalism if looking at the rank awful level of journalism in the English speaking world the last 35 years, in fact his exclusion and alienation from it makes him so original, authentic, he actually is the face of what journalism once looked like and should aspire to be other than the stenographers of power which they are today.

[@kurtaikido2889]

These will be important books for any freedom library

[@happygucci5094]

God bless the both of you- this is just soul destroying to bear witness to 😔 All this rage and sorrow and we are forced to watch morally bankrupt genocidal war criminals keep on going… Thank you for your fortitude, and commitment to truth telling and recognizing that the Palestinian people are the unfortunate symbolic victims ( not negating their individual lives) of everything that is wrong with a white supremacist imperialist racist colonial hegemonic ideology and world order- genocide was and is always the inevitable result in the distorted power imbalance. Free Palestine ✊🏽🇵🇸🙏🏽🍉‼️ With gratitude from Bermuda

[@eliasyannik]

Knowledge is power, thank you, Gentleman

[@JustAPawnFolks]

Thank you for introducing Joe Sacco to me.

[@louissay]

Thank you for your work, Joe Sacco, and for the truth in your work. Admiration and respect 🙏🏻🕊

[@Marius_vanderLubbe]

So good to hear Mr Sacco. thank you all.

[@eufl]

Joe Sacco´s books will NEVER become obsolete. In the best of all cases they will become part of history. I don´t have much hope but thank you, Chris, for that interview, and of course Joe Sacco for his books!

[@xdanbo1859]

Thank you Joe Sacco, I have been able to gat few close friends to read your work. The world needs to hear and see the plight of the Palestinian People. - #StandWithPalestine and stand up to #ButcherJoe and the elites.

[@joebondo2422]

Thank you Chris & Joe. 🙏🇵🇸😔🇿🇦👏🇾🇪👏

[@sebwah]

So glad I just randomly tunes in. Love the Chris Hedges Report. I heard Chris reference this author in his recent speech. Delighted to find this interview streaming live!

[@sea2959]

I bought his book PALESTINE......Its a beautiful work of art with the hardest subject ever.....genocide of children ...Its hard to read thou, the brutality of Israel makes it so hard to hold it together while reading/seeing the depictions of those beautiful people

[@sebwah]

@@sea2959 I think I will be buying in a copy too….

[@HENN3H]

I think I'm currently on my fifth copy of Palestine. I keep giving them away to anyone interested😅

[@TI.T.O]

That's amazing and heart breaking at the same time. Keep fighting the good fight.

[@Dragoon91786]

And a PDX resident since 3rd grade (1995), I had no idea that Joe lives here or spent much of his time here. I'm rather blown away that we are so blessed to have soemone of his caliber in the area.

[@hindculhane470]

Mr Sacco I salute your activism in true journalism and telling the story of the victim and the occupied Palestinians and his and her reality . Thank you .

[@StevenCleghorn]

I am such a fan of Joe Sacco, I could listen to him talk for hours. He's one man I'd like to meet.

[@hmson4378]

Unbelievably good work by both Chris and Joe

[@jaymonster125]

I remember when the first collections of Palestine hit the stands. Incredibly powerful. Maybe the best single work of any American comic creator in the 20th Century.

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Well said and explained, bless you Chris and your team for telling the truth! and for Joe well done!

[@Imadfalistn25]

Thank you for excellent interview 🙏 ❤🇵🇸🇵🇸❤️🇿🇦🇿🇦❤

[@sisterdiggins]

Joe Sacco is an international treasure

[@Dalila998]

Merci beaucoup ! Friendship from France 👍

[@CS-xe1oh]

2 of my heroes: Hedges and Sacco. Both of their work on Gaza taught me so much.

[@khrystree9233]

Great artist 🇵🇸

[@ralphny]

Chris, thank you for your excellent KZbin journalism. I must get Mr Sacco’s books.

[@user-qf1zg4zz8j]

Joe and Chris: Humanity and integrity a powerful combination, evident in both of you. Your work has made a positive difference to the world. What more can we ask of ourselves.

[@teawithmilkandsugar3045]

This is tremendous. Having recently finished Palestine, and then halfway through Footnotes, it occurred to me that it would be interesting to get Joe's perspective on the current events. I had no idea I would happen upon something so exceptional, nor so vital. Thank you. Hats off to Chris, Joe, and the whole team. I'm going to recommend this to everyone.

[@rachaelhorning8354]

OMG YES! IVE BEEN COLLECTING SACCO FOR 20 YEARS THANK YOU! 🖤🖤🖤

[@judithmokhiber3882]

"This might not be the low point " is my fear as well. Palestinians in Gaza is in terror today into 105 days.😢

[@gulliegulliver4546]

Thank you for this most interesting discussion. I will be ordering Joe's books.

[@MG210]

Thank you for covering the truth of this horrible situation. We need to know what's really going on in Gaza and it clearly isn't what our mainstream media is presenting.

[@wendysalter]

Each interview Chris Hedges does drives home to me just how sadly lacking my education was. I have spent 30 years on catch-up and yet I still feel there are huge gaps in my understanding of this world. So, thank you. PEACE

[@benmacloughlin2612]

I love Chris Hedges. I’d never heard of Joe Sacco until I listened to this. Now I will see if my library has Joe’s work. It’s hard for me personally to not get in low spirits with the situation in Gaza et al. It just seems to be the way I’m put together. Thankfully Chris’s podcasts always cheer me up in a funny kind of way. I look up to him & in a world where I look up to so few that means a lot to me ❤

[@maryamsukaynah559]

Great respect for you Sir, and for your guests

[@cheri238]

Lead us not astray into asylums of wailes of benevolence. May we all see the dark and light of histories on all sides. We all are imperfect beings of parents of where we grew up and what we were taught and what we have read of histories that that were only told on one side. That side of history that penmanship left in the darkness in forgotten lands. As a child who always loved history and endured racism, gratefully, my papa made me an iconoclast and to grow with understanding and truths through many books. Thank you, Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco, for your contribution to enlightening our world through your books, as I have read these books when they came out. How can we not feel horror and tears for what has happened to the Palestinian people and all people who perish in wars of deceit? I was young, and my brother was on the USS Liberty Navel Ship AGTR-5, 1967 6-day war. Dreams from a child that saw it all before and after it happened. With reverence and appreciation for both of your dedication for truth. "I am the world. and the world is me." 🙏❤️🌎🌿🕊🎵🎶🎵

[@TimaHypenoodles]

Thank you for this interview 🙏🏻 I haven’t heard of Joe Sacco before and I just put a couple of his books on hold from my local library. I’m going to buy some of them as well when I have the chance

[@janicej3436]

Fascinating - have just ordered Joe’s book.

[@benbashore8561]

Great discussion❤

[@josephtany9515]

Appreciations from Haifa 😢🎉

[@southpaw786]

Thank you Mr Hedges, thank you Mr Sacco; your journalism has outstandingly withstood the test of time, as testament and monument to honesty, justice and truthful reporting ❤

[@asmaburney2028]

Great interview, thank you!

[@cherrycupcake6327]

Thank you Chris for bringing us this interview - very moving.

[@eamar0509]

🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸✊🏿✊🏽✊🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

[@PenguinsUnited]

This was the best interview! To see beyond the propaganda and the perpetration of lies.

[@juliettepeters7397]

Good solid unassuming chat. Gently informative. Thank you both.

[@jeankern2646]

A very honest interview. Thank you so much.

[@VintageSurgeonsGeneral]

Thank you both for everything!!! Wonderful beautiful humans! Buying books from you again!

[@lauralafauve5520]

Good piece. Thank you.

[@MA-sk4fg]

It’s very important to reveal the truth of what’s happen8ng in that region. Telling the stories and illustrating them can sink in one ´s mind. Unfortunately it is very hard to imagine the long history of atrocities that is happening there until this day.

[@donnavorce8856]

We see exactly what is going on and has been. The abuse is on all levels. Constant. The stress of the people will remain as psychic wounds for generations. PTSD is going to continue to be rampant. Thank you for this interview. I will be purchasing some of your books Mr Sacco

[@michelseymour7401]

A major difference between the South African apartheid and Israel's apartheid is related to the difference between two different kinds of oppressors. Afrikaneers are a minority ethnic group. Israel is a nation-state. Cohabitation cannot be like in South Africa, simply «one citizen one vote». It must involve a mutual respect for the collective self-determination of the Israel and Palestinian peoples. Either a two states solution or a one state BINATIONAL solution which would respect the internal self-determination of the two peoples within a federal multinational state.

[@cdean2789]

Netenyahu isn't interested

[@carpediem44]

Please, could you also interview Diana Buttu, Palestinian lawyer located in Haifa?

[@henrykuyvenhoven2542]

Just as a support for this broadcast and platform. Thanks.

[@wendyfay16]

That was Great! Thanks Chris ... Loved being introduced to this wonderfully caring human being ... I'll certainly look out for his book ... maybe try to find it through my local library.

[@numbersix8919]

Thanks forever Joe, for all your great work. Well done Chris as always.

[@ChristinaGerlach]

Thank you again.

[@ashrafremtulla9565]

Very powerful interview , i cant seem to even imagine what the Palestinians go through and thanks joe , there is a compassion in you i truly allign with

[@juangonzalez6989]

Let me ask you what would you do if someone did that to your family would you not fight back & then to top it off they would not stop & people start saying that you the bad guy because you are defending yourself?

[@keiljones2902]

yep. This issue is not complicated

[@ledaswan5990]

Exactly.

[@damienmcgillivray7772]

I have listened to and read Chris's works over the years, but never truly new how important he is to the education of humanity in both its forms.

[@consciousexplorer8118]

Great to hear about these books and work. Thank you 🙏

[@nazarmawj338]

Tha ks for your info❤❤❤

[@RobinHerzig]

Powerful work ✊

[@anyahnacolman8636]

Thank you for sharing

[@RobertojavierSilvaharth-ub3pz]

Al my life I've felt sympathy for Jewish people and indifference for Palestinian people, untill I lived in New Zealand and met Palestinians exiled overseas. I've never understood my simpathy for Jewish people until today listening to Mr. Sacco describe his experience. Having grown up in a Standard Oil company town in northern Peru and then immigrating to the USA and living there until 1995 when I moved to New Zealand, I had only experienced the Israeli side of the story, and saw the Palestinians through Zionist eyes and painted by the USA media. Today my eyes are wide open and I understand my intrinsic synpathy for the Jewish people; I was brain washed by prevailing USA propaganda demonizing Palestinians and portraying Jews as victims of Arab terrorists, which is reality turned upside down. The human aspect of the Palestinian struggle has been brought to the fore by magnificent journalists like Mr. Sacco and Mr. Hedges, and by the colossal mistake the Israeli governmemt comited retaliating for the October 7th attack with massive genocide. Israel is showing it's true nature and the world will never see it in the same light!!

[@nickknez8294]

Please reprint Foot notes in Gaza. It’s a really hard book to find and it’s hella expensive.

[@mikecorbeil]

I am almost a week late, but this is a very good and certainly interesting interview. Thank you, to both of you.

[@kailashbedi3404]

IT’S THE INDIFFERENCE OF SO MANY THAT I CANNOT DIGEST.

[@taranehahmadi-parker1412]

Thank you 🙏

[@SkullyTheHypnoSkull]

I have over 20,000 comics. Chris and Joe need to write another comic!!!

[@user-xd7dk3oy3q]

One amazing Australian journalist who recently passed. R.I.P. Made me aware my whole life of not just Palestine, but many,many other shocking & barbaric acts by apparent civilised people.

[@ZakirHussain-oz9su]

This is the first time am hearing it, will definitely buy and help to pass the msg for a better reach. Sorry i did not know abt this earlier

[@cybercuichi]

I support the Palestinian cause, but to see so much inhumanity comitted over, and over again, it feels so helpless, and drains you, and you just pray things will get better, and for peace to prevail, and this nonesense to stop, and cannot imagine the people who commit this atrocities, how they can live with themselves? I mean you got to be totally heartless, and Inhumane, to be able to continue to live, without remorse, totaaly souless.😪

[@benbashore8561]

Grateful to you two. We are fortunate to have this level of discussion. I recommend reading the later Doris Lessing’s Sci fi novels; Shikasta, Sentimental Agents, Mara and Dann….

[@homayounshirazi9550]

Thank you Chris Hedges for your effort to bring truth into light.

[@howardleekilby7390]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ BRAVO JOE BRAVO ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@luvforeverify]

Great video Chris and Joe Sacco. Keep talking talking truth to power.

[@dvoravithanovsky6902]

This is one of the most illuminating conversations on the palestinian tragedy, not the least because it unmasks israeli habitual lies such as pousonous text books rather than the israeli atrocities that inflame anger and hatred, understandibly

[@hopesnopes]

I live in Seattle and just learned that Fantagraphics, here in town will be printing more copies of Palestine, which is hard to come by. I read Footnotes in Gaza and also War's End a few years back and both are incredibly good and informative. Thank y'all so much for this conversation. XO

[@guytouquet]

I'm infected by the hatred, and I'm thousands of miles from the events that offend me. And my hatred extends beyond the people who are committing the atrocities to those who support them, like my two senators, plus Biden, Trump, Graham, Blitzer, Blinken and people I don't know who have Jewish-sounding names.

[@faithalessandri1879]

I just checked and his books are basically sold out everywhere. Somebody needs to print a whole bunch more copies because even the ones you do find are expensive and take a month and a half to arrive

[@khalidiyya]

Joe Sacco has been a great inspiration for my own work. I like you too, Mr. Hedges!

[@musketierimmer]

Read all of Joe Sacco. Love it !!

[@stanleykubrick8786]

So we are ALL flawed. Thank you.

[@Y2700h]

Thank you so much for this interview! The first time I heard of Joe Sacco was from the Egyptian writer Bilal Fadl. I loved "Palestine" and hope to find copies of "Footnotes from Gaza" soon.

[@rekocastren923]

His comic book was an eye opener for me.

[@shhas4849]

Thank you Joe and Chris. Yup the average arab citizen is full of rage and we are boiling these US appointed governments soon will fail to contain the rage and hatred. And i am telling you the zionest should be afraid. This will not be forgotten and what has been taken by force will be taken back by force.