This post is also available in:
English
Short answer
Mainstream media outlets often exhibit bias in their coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in several ways. For instance, the media freely uses the term “terrorist” to describe attacks in other parts of the world, however, it often hesitates to apply it to Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians. Furthermore, news organizations often present a distorted view of international law, portraying Israel as a persistent violator while overlooking the actions of other parties involved in the conflict. In addition Israel is portrayed as an aggressor without giving context to the terroristic threats that are usually provoking armed clashes and without even mentioning the underlying reasons for Israel’s attacks.
Complex issues are oversimplified, and the historical and political context is often omitted, leading to a one-sided narrative that demonizes Israel. Prominent examples of this bias include CBS and the BBC. Both networks have been accused of promoting a one-sided narrative, downplaying the role of Hamas, and failing to accurately report on the conflict.
Long answer
For decades, major news outlets have consistently framed the conflict in a way that disproportionately criticizes Israel. This bias is evident in several ways. The term “occupation” is frequently applied to Israeli-controlled territories but rarely, if ever, to other occupied territories around the world. While the media freely uses the term “terrorist” to describe attacks in other parts of the world, it often hesitates to apply it to Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians. News organizations often present a distorted view of international law, portraying Israel as a persistent violator while overlooking the actions of other parties involved in the conflict. Complex issues are oversimplified, and the historical and political context is often omitted, leading to a one-sided narrative that demonizes Israel. For instance, the media continues to refer to Gaza and the West Bank as “occupied territories” despite Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 and the Palestinian Authority acknowledging the end of Israeli occupation in Jericho in 1994.
A prominent example is CBS, a major US news network. It is considered “mainstream” – one that speaks to everyone, ostensibly without bias. However, recent revelations, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attack, have exposed a troubling pattern of anti-Israel bias within the network. Leaked internal discussions and guidelines reveal a troubling disregard for journalistic principles and a promotion of a one-sided narrative of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, refusal to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and its reluctance to criticize Palestinian terrorism. By downplaying the role of Hamas and other terrorist organizations, CBS perpetuates a false equivalence between Israel and the Palestinians.
Many other mainstream media outlets exhibit similar tendencies, often failing to hold Palestinian leaders and organizations accountable for their actions. For instance, the BBC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has been heavily criticized for its bias in favor of the Palestinians and its failure to give due weight to the Israeli perspective. The BBC’s reporting has been shown to rely on Hamas as a source for casualty figures, question Israel’s right to self-defense, downplay Hamas’s role in the conflict, and whitewash the legacy of terrorist leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini. Additionally, the BBC did not accurately report on the Hamas Charter, a document that explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews and others. It also misrepresented the level of journalistic freedom in Gaza, war crimes, the socio-economic cost of the war on Israel, and military threats to Israel.
The biased reporting in mainstream media coverage of the Israeli Palestinian fuels anti-Israel sentiment, particularly among young people who are heavily influenced by social media and online discourse. When these young people see constant negative portrayals of Israel, they are more likely to adopt hostile attitudes and engage in anti-Semitic behavior.
