In early June, The Free Press (FP), a publication started by former New York Times Opinion Columnist and Editor Bari Weiss, published an exclusive interview with Yasser Abu Shabab, a Bedouin who leads an Israeli-backed militia in the Gaza Strip.

The FP interview was co-published with an organization called “The Center for Peace Communications” (CPC), but the nature of the organization that helped set up the interview with Shabab was left undisclosed. The most high-profile board member at the CPC is Dennis Ross, one of the most prominent supporters of Israel in DC who has served in multiple U.S. administrations, including as a former special assistant to President Barack Obama.

The founder and president of the organization, Joseph Braude, pled guilty to charges of smuggling stolen antiques out of Iraq following the 2003 U.S. invasion. In the FP video detailing Shabab’s plans to take over control of the Gaza Strip with Israeli support, Braude appears as a commentator, defending Shabab from allegations of extremist ties, stating that, “I am fairly confident that he is not ISIS,” though conceding that “one cannot preclude” that he may have had ties with the group in the past.

The Fake Press

Since the October 7 attacks in Israel, and the escalating Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, the FP has emerged as perhaps the most unflinching supporter of the Israeli government and its policies in the U.S. media. While the publication first began with a focus on criticizing American progressive culture, since October 7 it has become essentially a mouthpiece for Israeli government positions.

According to tax documents the center earned $1.5 million in grants in 2023.

The FP’s partnership with the center comes at a time when the news outlet, launched just three years ago with support from Silicon Valley venture capitalists, has been reportedly exploring a lucrative sale for up to $250 million—an amount that far exceeds the roughly $15 million a year that it is estimated to drive in subscription revenue. According to news reports in late July, Weiss has met with David Ellison, the son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison and soon-to-be owner of CBS News, about a possible acquisition of the publication. David Ellison, who recently pushed through a merger of his Hollywood studio Skydance with CBS’s parent company Paramount, was attracted to Weiss due to her “pro-Israel stance,” according to news reports about the talks.