Over the past five months, much has been said and written about British media coverage of Israel's war in Gaza. Experts, journalists and activists, including myself, have argued in numerous articles and interviews that the British media exhibits a level of bias in its coverage of this war, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian issue.
Based on the largest statistical analysis of media coverage of the atrocities committed in Israel on 7 October and of Israel's genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people in the first month of the war, the British Islamic Council Media Monitoring Center In a new report, (CfMM) provided empirical evidence for these observations and concerns.
CfMM examined around 180,000 video clips from seven UK broadcasters and three international broadcasters, as well as around 26,000 news articles from 28 UK media websites. It assessed whether the media reliably informed the public about the conflict and shared the position of all countries. The relevant parties will respond responsibly.
Consistent with the results of a small previous study, we found that Israeli narratives, voices, and grievances were preferred over Palestinian voices, narratives, and grievances in news coverage. A relentless emphasis on “Israeli rights” often resulted in the exclusion and erasure of Palestinian rights. Emotional language was consistently used for Israeli victims of violence, but less so for Palestinians. Israeli representatives and supporters were allowed to dehumanize Palestinians on air without much backlash from news hosts and talk show hosts.
The study, which analyzed coverage based on six themes: contextualization, language, framing, advocacy, weakening Palestinian sources, and misrepresentation of pro-Palestinian protesters, found that many news outlets presented news from an Israeli perspective. and in many cases proved to be seriously incorrect. In basic fact-checking and verification.
Notably, the analysis revealed that Palestinian symbols, such as the Palestinian flag, are overwhelmingly “used to illustrate a narrative about anti-Semitism.” Additionally, much of the media coverage is Islamophobic, such as framing pro-Palestinian protests and support as inherently dangerous and akin to a “terrorist threat,” often due to the presence of Muslims. The other side was also revealed.
The report finds that the Islamophobic metaphor that “Islam is an anti-Semitic religion” is repeatedly presented by editors, analysts, and columnists as a driving force behind the growing backlash against Israel and its treatment of Palestinians. revealed what had been done. This has led to false reporting that the 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a matter of oppression or occupation, but a “religious war” between Muslims and Jews.
The report found that pro-Palestinian voices and Palestinian activists have been repeatedly misrepresented by many British media outlets since the start of the conflict. The report found that right-wing media was particularly hostile to pro-Palestinian voices, branding them “not only hostile to British values but also supporters of terrorism and anti-Semitism.” It was revealed that there is.
The analysis also revealed many instances of misinformation due to intentional omissions. The context of Israel's decades-long oppression of Palestinians and occupation of Palestinian territory was absent from most coverage. The report was framed to imply that the conflict began on October 7th. The report also revealed that some media coverage of the ongoing war also failed to mention that the West Bank is Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory and, according to international law, the Gaza Strip. It was also under de facto Israeli occupation before October 7, although there had been no military presence on the ground since 2005.
Furthermore, there were many instances where obvious “mistakes” or false information were overlooked on British television screens, as long as they reaffirmed Israel's claims. In one instance, a defense analyst claimed on television that “the West Bank is occupied by the Palestinians.” Although such claims have no basis in international law or current or historical facts on the ground, the presenters did not correct them or seek clarification.
The use of misleading images in some newspapers was another failure identified in the analysis.
For example, harrowing images depicting flames and mass destruction from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza were combined with headlines referencing atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel on October 7th. In one case, horrifying images of frightened and injured Palestinian children in Gaza were published. It was published alongside a headline about “Infant mutilated in Israel.”
Using misleading images, omitting facts, spreading false information without guest challenge, and sharing unverified information as fact are all forms of irresponsible and unethical journalism. This is an example. And such actions can have serious consequences.
Misinformation and disinformation can generate hate speech and harm innocent individuals. Misrepresenting the current conflict as a “religious war” between Jews and Muslims, dehumanizing Palestinians, and slandering Palestinian supporters around the world as terrorists or “terrorist neighbors” Coupled with this, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim sentiments are worsening. Palestinian feelings.
As a result, hatred directed at British Muslims appeared on the streets and screens across the UK. According to Tell Mama, the leading hate crime watchdog that measures anti-Muslim hatred in the UK, there were more than 2,000 anti-Muslim incidents in the UK between October 2023 and February 2024. A hate incident occurred. This is a shocking 335% increase compared to the UK. Same period last year.
The results of a survey conducted by British NGOs More in Common and Together Coalition, published on March 3, highlight the prevalence of anti-Muslim sentiment in the country since the start of the war in Gaza. Of those surveyed, 21% (one in five) said they had a “very negative” or “somewhat negative” view of Muslims.
The media's false labeling of pro-Palestinian protesters as “terrorist threats,” “pro-Hamas,” “extremists” and “opposed to British values” has fueled anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. There is no doubt that it has contributed to an unprecedented rise in hatred and bigotry.
Indeed, the anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment that many Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims in the UK currently face in schools, universities and workplaces is at least partly due to the predominantly one-sided coverage of It may be connected to. Details of the war in Gaza are contained in the CfMM report.
Applying negative labels to pro-Palestinian protesters as “anti-British” or “anti-Western” simply because they support Palestinian rights and self-determination does an injustice to the entire community. This will lead to blemishes. It can reinforce existing prejudices and lead to interreligious and intercommunal tensions and even violence.
In addition to the harm caused to Muslims, Arabs, and British Palestinians, the bias expressed by the media in reporting this conflict harms the well-being of Palestinians in Palestine and the wider region.
The report's findings have led many British journalists and commentators to provide a false legitimacy to Israel's persistent attacks on Gaza, attacks that, according to the International Court of Justice, are likely to amount to genocide. It suggests that they are knowingly or unwittingly supporting a propaganda campaign aimed at giving.
The purpose of the CfMM report and this article is, of course, not to make unwarranted generalizations about our diverse and rich media environment and to condemn all British journalists with the same brush. A number of British and Israeli-Palestinian journalists have produced balanced and informative journalism about the Gaza war for British media, examples of which are included in the CfMM report.
But this report, and the many problems and shortcomings it highlights, should be taken as a wake-up call for those working in the British media and reporting on this war. They should treat this wide-ranging report and its findings as a valuable learning tool and re-evaluate their work on Israel-Palestine in accordance with the fair and meaningful critiques developed within it.
Given the scale of the tragedy that is still unfolding in Palestine, and the obvious impact it has had on community relations here in the UK, what are all journalists contributing to reporting on this war telling the public? need to be carefully considered and given special consideration. Steps to uphold the values and principles that define our profession.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.