Maria Maalouf, a Lebanese journalist, has been linked with pro-Emirati and pro-Saudi stands. Her ventures and affiliations indicate a remarkable influence of or agreement with Saudi and Emirati interests. Maalouf has been employed by Saudi 24 TV and has been engaged in hosting shows on this television network.
Maalouf has been seen to advocate for Arab recognition of Israel. A stance which aligns with diplomatic efforts supported by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, such as the Abraham Accords. Her connections with influential Zionist lobbyists like Ezra Friedlander also come to light. Moreover, she attended a Zionist reception in Washington. It also reflects her pro-Israeli and potentially pro-Saudi/Emirati positions.
Maria Maalouf claims to be the co-chair of Prolific Solutions. It is a US-based consultancy firm that allegedly works with foreign governments.
Surprisingly, it came to light that Maria Maalouf was involved in a smear campaign targeting Al Jazeera journalist Ghada Oueiss. Maalouf is linked, a recent investigation by Forbidden Stories found, with a series of online attacks against Oueiss that have been traced back to pro-Saudi players, most notably during the periods of peak tensions in the Gulf.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia and the UAE blockaded Qatar. It led to a vicious diplomatic dispute. Al Jazeera, the Qatari state television news channel, was one of the primary targets of this activity. Its reporters, among them Oueiss, were also aggressively harassed. The inquiry reports that Maalouf, and others such as Sharon Van Rider, were all part of a larger “media project” to discredit Oueiss, who was a strong critic of the Saudi regime and its policies.
Maalouf’s participation in the harassment was also revealed while Van Rider testified. She confirmed Maalouf was engaged in the smear campaign. The investigation indicates that Maalouf was part of a network that collaborated with intermediaries linked to Saudi Arabia. The goal of the campaign was to target journalists who were critical of the kingdom. Despite there being no immediate evidence within US government documents, the report raises questions over possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) that mandates the disclosure of foreign influence activities.
The campaign against Oueiss was intensified after she started covering the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Personal information leaks and a wave of misogynistic insults were a part of the campaign. It was also part of a broader strategy to silence critics of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Maalouf’simvovlment in this operation points to her role in advancing the kingdom’s interests. She potentially aided in the suppression of independent journalism.
It seems that Maalouf was involved in Saudi Arabia’s undercover media plan. It was meant to influence the opinions of people and discredit others who opposed the kingdom’s version.
Besides, Maalouf’s hardline anti-Hezbollah stance is also shared by the perceptions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have been negative towards Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon.
