Misinformation or disinformation on the Mideast conflict are common in North America. The following article is a good example. It ran in my local paper recently.
The story title is "Palestinians attack Israeli hospitals treating Arabs" and readers are led to believe that Israel shows a "rare compassion" only to be foiled by the violence of their opponents.
The article consists of a few anecdotes and second or third hand information and some very large "conclusions".
The author ignores the violence, death and suffering caused by Israeli actions and policies. You would never know from this article about Palestinians who have died BECAUSE of Israeli actions and restrictions. Just in the past month many have died because Israel has prevented them from getting to their homes in Gaza.
The author blames all Palestinians for the attempted suicide bombing at the hospital in Beer Sheva two years ago. He neglects to inform readers that the same doctor whom he quotes made an informal survey of people in Gaza and found they OPPOSED the suicide bombing at the hospital.
The article essentially stands truth on its head. The clear implication is that the occupiers are benevolent. The victims are violent.
Following are disinformation tactics commonly used in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and illustrated by this article.
1. Substitute a few anecdotes for overall facts.
2. Repeat negative anecdotes and their conclusions. No problem if it is years old. Repeat it over and over.
3. All Palestinians are responsible for the bad actions of any one Palestinian.
4. Good actions by Palestinians are to be ignored. They do not count. For example, how many Americans know about the widespread mass non-violent demonstrations by Palestinians which have been occurring WEEKLY for the past two years in the Occupied Territories?
5. Negative actions by Israel are to be ignored or forgotten. They don't count. Witness this article which ignores a mountain of information documenting Israeli violations of human rights and crimes.
6. Good actions by an individual Israeli organization or person go to the credit of Israel overall. Witness the implication that Israeli hospitals and doctors normally treat injured Palestinians.
The result of this media bias and double standard is readers who are badly misinformed and highly prejudiced.
Witness the thoughts of the person who sends the hate mail in the next posting.
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1 comment:
Agreed. It is apparent that the wire services took a position years back that the Israelis are at home and the Palestinians are attacking. I think most editors of local papers just print the junk off the wire and don't try to understand what is really happening.
- PRH
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