Unheard Voices: Lopsided Coverage of the Middle East Conflict

The Battle and the Media Reaction

Following the Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel on October 7, which claimed the lives of 1,300 Israelis, there has been a surge of articles, podcasts, and Q&As focusing on the aggression and Israel's subsequent retaliation. This retaliation has resulted in the death of more than 4,000 Palestinians and continues to escalate. However, the narrative seems lopsided, with only one piece penned by a Palestinian, who theoretically represents 50% of the story.

Who's Telling the Story?

In the past fortnight, the majority of contributions have come from American writers. A handful of Israeli, Lebanese and Lebanese-American writers have also contributed to the discourse. However, only one Palestinian writer, Ghaith al-Omari, has been featured. Al-Omari, a senior fellow at the pro-Israel Washington Institute for Near East Policy, adds a unique perspective but remains the sole Palestinian voice in the sea of commentary. This institute was established by the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

A Single Perspective

Al-Omari’s piece, “How the Palestinian Authority Failed Its People,” provides a clinical and academic analysis of the current crisis from the Palestinian Authority's standpoint. But this singular article hardly represents the multitude of Palestinian perspectives. The lack of Palestinian writers is conspicuous and certainly not accidental.

Consistent Erasure of Palestinian Voices

The absence of Palestinian voices underscores a larger issue. It is indicative of an almost uniform pro-Israel bias and a longstanding practice of excluding Palestinian viewpoints in discussions about Palestine. A quick survey of past coverage reveals that the writers chosen to cover the conflict have been predominantly American or Israeli, both in nationality and perspective.

Reflecting on Past Coverage

This isn't a new trend. Since 1979, a mere 46 out of 2,490 (1.8%) New York Times op-eds discussing Palestine were authored by Palestinians. It raises questions about the objectivity and balance of the media's coverage of the ongoing conflict.

—————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Adam Johnson
Title: Unheard Voices: Lopsided Coverage of the Middle East Conflict
Sourced From: therealnews.com/the-atlantic-magazine-covering-palestine-without-palestinians
Published Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:44:23 +0000