Judging Journalism: bias about the Middle East.

Before the Film:

1. I know that the northeast region of Africa and the south west parts of Asia and Europe make up the Middle East. I’m currently unable to locate any specifics like Israel or West Bank without google.
2. Population:  Israel is about 8.5 million, West Bank is about 2.8 million, Gaza Strip is about 750,000.
3. I understand that there is conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, but not much more than that. I hear about it from people at Landmark who’ve immigrated here from Israel.
4. Occupation to me, just means a certain area or portion of land is being taken over or physically controlled by a system or party that are new inhabitants of said area. I’m not certain who is currently being occupied.
5. Propaganda are usually cryptic advertisements to promote a political agenda. Public relations deals with maintaining a positive reputation and understanding among an organization or figure and the public they face. Lobbying is trying to influence a politician or public official on a specific issue. They are different terms, though they deal with each other in one aspect or another.

 

After the Film:

The US policy in the Middle East is a huge obstacle because it is challenging to discuss the Middle East as a sole entity. Its influences and powers are so variant that it’s almost entirely dependent on outside assistance, like US military funds and weapons, to thrive. The Western world has an economic stronghold over many parts of the globe. Because the US is responsible for disseminating the messages and stories out of the the Middle East to the western world, and the American media is biased in the understanding of the crisis over there, its money and steel is a huge contributing factor to how the fight continues to be fought. The scenes of violence featured in the film did indeed make me a bit squeamish. I am not accustomed to viewing such graphic images of dead bodies and bloodshed. Images the media usually show are of Israeli soldiers standing guard (kind of poise and sophisticated) with scattered interruptions of the Palestine people seemingly irate and hostile. Perfect situation for biased media.

Traditionally, journalists have perpetuated a “right and wrong” side of an issue by writing about the issue using clear language of who is a perpetrator and who is a victim. It is hard to objectively report when there seems to be a cultural understanding of what journalists are “supposed” to write based on what they know the issue to be. The role that then emerges of journalist and media outlets in constructing messages about violence and peace is one that focuses on the whole story rather than bits and pieces of it. Looking at things from a broader scope contributes to a more rich understanding of how things like “violence” and “peace” fit into an overall story. This has the power to change the contexts of facts, like killings and brutality. Something that appears to be justified could then appear cruel and vise versa. Journalism and media should work overtime to look at the full story rather than “picking a side” and reporting from that perspective. The role of historian. The role of fact collector. The role of reporting objectively. Though not easy, it is necessary. We need the whole context.

The missing context is the fact that the people of Israel have occupied Palestine and are outwardly refusing them basic human rights and illegally controlling their land. So they technically, by virtue of that act, cannot truly argue that the Palestinians are acting in any way that is irrational; but they do. Palestinians are depicted as confrontational and disrespectful. This belief is circulated. Without the context that Palestine is a victim of illegal and dehumanizing occupation, their actions look very different.  The Israeli soldiers are using American weapons to defend against the Palestinian resistance. The American journalists have only been given a slight view of what is happening in the Middle East and will report on what they know will sell and get attention based on the knowledge we have on the situation. The Israeli papers don’t need to convince Israeli people that they are worthy of support or military aid. Being so close to the action, it is more pertinent information for Israelis to know what is actually happening from the account of the Palestinians.