Just some notes based on reading about the 2012 bombing of Gaza on the English-language Internet. Suggestions are welcomed!
Listed roughly in order from worst to best:
- BBC, The New York Times – These were terrible! Warmed-over Israeli propaganda. They:
- Repeat whatever the Israeli government says without challenge and use that as their main source.
- Let Israel set the narrative: Gazan rockets, self-defence, blah, blah. Little about international law, truces broken by Israel, the number of Gazans killed before the bombings, etc.
- Rarely talk to Hamas or any Gazan above a hospital spokesman.
- Tell us about the hardships of Israelis but little about the far worse hardships of Gazans.
- Tell us all about Gazan military hardware but almost nothing about Israeli hardware.
- Act as if both sides are somehow equal, that there is not a giant imbalance between them in military power.
- Use sources without telling us about their relationship with Israel. For example, the New York Times likes to use the Washington Institute for Near East Policy for expert comment but never seems to tells us that it is an AIPAC offshoot.
- The Economist, Wikipedia – only a little better than the New York Times.
- Nerdland – Very little on Gaza from what I saw. Curious. Pushes moral equivalence but provides much better context than the New York Times or The Economist.
- Tumblr – not so good, at least among those I follow. Every now and then something good would come up.
- The Electronic Intifada – The best pro-Palestinian website in English that I found. Had audio direct from Gaza City: the drones, the shelling, the ambulances. It sticks in my mind still.
- Al Jazeera English, Democracy Now – Al Jazeera was the most balanced of anyone. Democracy Now, as you would expect, is pro-Palestinian. Both:
- Talked to Palestinians of some weight who took Gaza’s side, though not, from what I saw, anyone high up in Hamas. Al Jazeera did talk to an open supporter of Hamas.
- Talked about broken truces and the number of air strikes carried out by Israel against Gaza.
- Talked about international law!
- Challenged Israeli statements and narrative.
- Al Jazeera, The Guardian, ZNet – in 2011 Noam Chomsky recommended these as generally good sources of news on the Arab-Israeli conflict, something he has been closely following since at least the 1960s.
- #Gaza on Twitter – Like during Hurricane Sandy, Twitter was easily the single best source of news, even if some of it was not fact-checked. You can see what Hamas and the Israeli military are tweeting – and what people in Gaza are saying. All in real time. If you follow the right people, there are plenty of links to articles.
I did plenty of retweeting during the bombing. Those I retweeted most:
- electronicintifada.net – Chicago-based, has writers in Gaza
- @blogdiva – New York
- aljazeera.com – Qatar-based, has reporters in Gaza
- @palestinianism – Gaza
- @aliabunimah – Chicago, co-founder of the Electronic Intifada
- @pdanahar – BBC Middle East Bureau Chief, was in Gaza at the time. Better than his bosses.
- @nehedari – Tel Aviv
- english.alarabiya.net – Dubai-based, Saudi-owned
- @ggreenwald – Guardian
See also:
- Operation Pillar of Cloud: Israel continues to destroy Gaza – my post on the first six days of bombing
- Edward Said: Permission to Narrate
- The Vast Talking Machine
- propaganda model – which in this case correctly predicts the behaviour of the New York Times and the BBC.
- Chomsky
- The New York Times
- The Economist
- Tumblr
- Wikipedia
In los angles 89.3 and 89.9 kcrw and 90.7 kpfk are the ONLY FM Radio news outlets and while 90.7 kpfk leans to the left ,its time schedule is restricted
whereas 89.3/.9 kcrw has a more expansive news schedule and leans to the right.
Right in this case being – pro establishment government white/albinic european
,male
Left in this case being – listen to the other side ,common citizens,women,P.O.C,anti or critiquing government ,capitalism,racism etc
Fortunately due to evolution we now have the internet/web,blog’s etc to critique and add our own perspective to the “news”.
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Reblogged this on Mbeti's Blog and commented:
Media Anaylsis In action.
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I can’t say I’m pro-Palestinian or Isreali. I don’t believe Gazans are victims simply bc they are weaker. To me, this is simply a battle between two groups of people over land. Whoever wins, wins. All I want is for the U.S. government to stop sending military aid to Israel and for the U.S. media to report this conflict in a unbiased fact-based manner.
This is not our war, so it makes zero sense to support either side
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You sound ,hostile and indifferent.
“All I want is for the U.S. government to stop sending military aid to Israel and for the U.S. media to report this conflict in a unbiased fact-based manner.”
why ,what difference does it make to you if The U.S. sends military aid to Israel or not?
why should the U.S. Media – a institution founded by and for white/albinic people exclusively report something in a unbiased fact-based manner,
what come out a say “we” the white/albinic population support The state of Israel unconditionally because in was and is established and maintained the same way america is – invasion,genocide,slavery and other group crimes involving large populations.
Oh by the way their a great garrison state in a area with a essential resource – oil.
“This is not our war, so it makes zero sense to support either side”
but when this country goes to war its organizers what allies and support – um’ I wonder why?
Maybe because in any campaign you want the “world” to know that your cause is just.
But your probably one of those white/albinic males that have benefited so much from bias and injustice that you don’t even believe justice exist and hope it never does.
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A Real Description of american “democracy” by a character in a comedy film – go figure!
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@Mbeti
I am not white or “albinic”, I’m black, and I don’t understand how I sound the least bit hostile. Do you mind expounding? And don’t you think the “hostile accusation contradicts the “indifferent” one?
“why ,what difference does it make to you if The U.S. sends military aid to Israel or not?”
-It’s my personal politically belief that the U.S. should remain neutral when it comes to the affairs of other countries.
-I believe this will keep us safe from making more enemies abroad (or at least get rid of the ones we do have after some decades).
-I also believe that our money could go to better use, like towards education, healthcare, or maybe even bringing down the deficit/debt.
-Just in case you’re wondering, I am not a libertarian.
“why should the U.S. Media – a institution founded by and for white/albinic people exclusively report something in a unbiased fact-based manner”
-Because I believe it’s fair and that it helps the public more accurately formulate their own opinions on the situation.
“what come out a say “we” the white/albinic population support The state of Israel unconditionally because in was and is established and maintained the same way america is – invasion,genocide,slavery and other group crimes involving large populations.”
-I wont say that because I do not support Israel. In fact, when I first learned of the Middle East crisis I was pro-Palestine, then any news from the region just became annoying to me. I realized it was just endless violence being carried on by both sides. Eventually I just stopped caring.
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Great list, and more good ones in the comments, thanks to all.
Uprising Radio with Sonali Kolhatkar is great too, originates from KPFK. I listen to a lot of programs on WBAI too.
Mbeti, that “Dictator” clip is kind of surprising. Never did see the movie, looked like a waste of time overall, but maybe not?
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The Cynic, you’re being lazy. Accurate context explains a LOT, including the fact that Right-wing Zionists and those in the West who support them have long been the real villains in this conflict. You could begin by pressing “Listen to this segment here,” and even go on to listen to the whole program. If, that is, you’re willing to stop being lazy —
http://uprisingradio.org/home/2012/11/20/the-political-and-historic-context-to-israels-bombing-of-gaza/
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I stand corrected on your phenotype and hostile and indifferent are contradictions so I stand corrected here as well.
“why ,what difference does it make to you if The U.S. sends military aid to Israel or not?”
-It’s my personal politically belief that the U.S. should remain neutral when it comes to the affairs of other countries.
a personal belief about national public policy?
This nation was originally a colony and is now an empire – for it to remain neutral would be contrary to its inherent nature.
-I believe this will keep us safe from making more enemies abroad (or at least get rid of the ones we do have after some decades).
Strange how relative we already are and we are actually part of an empire.
when was the last time our “enemies” (outside of 9-11(which I think was an inside job) attacked “us”?
-I also believe that our money could go to better use, like towards education, healthcare, or maybe even bringing down the deficit/debt.
sure could,but will it?
-Just in case you’re wondering, I am not a libertarian.
wasn’t ,does not matter to me
“why should the U.S. Media – a institution founded by and for white/albinic people exclusively report something in a unbiased fact-based manner”
-Because I believe it’s fair and that it helps the public more accurately
formulate their own opinions on the situation.
what if they don’t want you to do that?
what if they want your blind and unwavering support for any misguided agenda they espouse?
“what come out a say “we” the white/albinic population support The state of Israel unconditionally because in was and is established and maintained the same way america is – invasion,genocide,slavery and other group crimes involving large populations.”
-I wont say that because I do not support Israel. In fact, when I first learned of the Middle East crisis I was pro-Palestine, then any news from the region just became annoying to me. I realized it was just endless violence being carried on by both sides. Eventually I just stopped caring
I can understand your sentiment ,its hard to care when one side seems like a heartless monster but the other seems like a stupid one.
Why are the Zionist israelis so hostile and ruthless after what (or is it because of) was done to the jews and others by the germans?
why don’t the Palestinians wait and build themselves up to a stronger force and attack and defeat the israelis military rather than continue futile attacks that give israel the rationale for assassinations and massacres?
Easier said than done obviously ,so we sit on the sidelines and watch the horrible show, you can change the channel but the facts…..
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[…] "Just some notes based on reading about the 2012 bombing of Gaza on the English-language Internet. Suggestions are welcomed! Listed roughly in order from worst to best:" – MORE – […]
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@aspergum
I am not being lazy. I am already aware of right wing Zionist, AIPAC, etc. If you read my comments it really isn’t hard to guess how I feel about that…
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I’m a Black Jew and I support Israel. Just because the Palestinians appear to be the underdog, doesn’t mean that they are morally right. Review the history of the Middle East. The Palestinians have had conflicts even with other Muslim countries, like Jordan.
All that said, I hope that a 2 state solution is reached. The fighting is getting old.
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LOL BBC is WELL KNOWN to be anti-Israel and so was their coverage of the conflict. They ONLY focused on Palestinian suffering so I’m really, really confused as to how you concluded what you did about BBC. I’m stunned actually.
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I agree with DF- the BBC is normally pretty anti-Israel, as is RT news. I watched a correspondent grill an Israeli who said that Israel was being attacked by missiles so they fired missiles back. The correspondent had a look on his face like: Whoooo cares, you monsters?
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@Abagond
Why do you and other black males continue to kiss the behinds of white arab men? Do you not see what’s taking place in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Mali, Chad, Kenya, Somolia, Nigeria, etc. A lot of african blood is being spilled because of “The House of Saud” in the Motherland. You, and other like-minded blackmen don’t seem too worried about what’s going on in Africa. Defending a group of men that seek to enslave african people, rape african women, overthrow entire countries. What is your real agenda Abagond? I’m beginning to think that you might not love black folk as much as you claim…Real Talk! I have no sympathy for Arabs, they have a lot of blood on their hands. I know it, and you do as well Abagond. I don’t care if you get mad, you gotta explain your disloyalty blackman? Whose side are you really on???
Tyrone
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Screw Jews, their filthy ways, and their lies.
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Protests against the war in Gaza in the US is currently (on Sunday morning in the US) on the homepages of:
NPR (top story), HuffPost (top story), Egypt Independent (where I found out about it), Aljazeera, Google News (US version in both English and Spanish), San Diego Union Tribune (in Spanish, but not in English), Fox News (as anti-Biden news), New York Times, ABC News, CBS News (but not NBC News), PBS, VOA.
but not:
CNN, BBC, USA Today, The Economist, San Diego Union Tribune (English), MSNBC, NBC News, Washington Post, The Guardian.
AllSides rates it a “left-leaning” story.
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Larry’s post may be of interest-
https://sonar21.com/what-is-happening-to-israels-offensive-in-gaza-and-blinkens-diplomacy/
Mark
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