Analysis: US Media Coverage Of Gaza Invasion Largely Biased Towards Israel

Israel launched its much-anticipated invasion of Gaza on Saturday. For over a week, U.S. media had provided largely one-sided coverage of the conflict, with little editorializing or commentary arguing against broader Israeli actions.

Most notably, after more than eight days of Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket launching in Gaza, The New York Times had produced exactly one editorial, not a single commentary by any of its columnists, and only two op-eds (one already published elsewhere). The editorial, several days ago, did argue against the wisdom of a ground invasion - - but even though that invasion had become ever more likely all week the paper did not return to this subject.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[mrskorn]

It is not always pro-Israel. But maybe with this incident they see that Israel has a right to defend its citizens from unprovoked rocket attacks, going on for years. This retaliation wouldn't have happened if there had been no rockets, from land that the Israelis just gave back to the pals in exchange for peace.

[BlackYowe]

Why is every single thing I say banned from this story?

[Jamesdean]

I am sure you know why they ban everything.

[BlackYowe]

Nothing has changed. We give them lots of money that is what really is painful.

[joebiz]

The New Yorks times claims on its cover the [it] has "all the news that's fit to print."

[Twinkie]

It isn't just the US, it's the whole Christian world - Europe and South America, Canada & Australia too

[ManyColored]

The United States media biased in favor of Israel?? Shocked, sir, I am shocked!

[SiberianRat]

Case and point: MSNBC posted a video today, "Israel Under Constant Threat." Hamas has only killed 20 people in the thousands of rocket attacks over the last 8 years. I agree that the rockets need to stop, but this threat is much like the threat of Saddam Hussein's WMDs--hyped up and not true. Hopefully, people will boycott such "journalistic" sources as MSNBC, CNN, FOX, WSJ, NYT, etc. as they are a disgrace.

[SimonNZ]

This article is a timely call for more balanced coverage of the current catastrophe in Gaza.

It seems like a drop in the ocean however, like a small sensible whisper from Colmes in the face of loud bellicose yelling from Hannity.

[SiberianRat]

True, but remember, the ocean is indeed made of drops, and if we can set off a chain reaction, boycotting these abysmal sources, then we can maybe change things.

[klandish]

I met a 2nd generational Palestine refuge in a bar tonight and he said Dea.thh to Israel". When I said that was inappropriate he told me that's the only way Middle Easterners know how to negotiate with each other. I was saddened but realized he's probably right. But I am horrified at Israel none the less - barbarians.

[shanghaislim]

Yep. They will NEVER have peace until they destroy each other.

I have Israeli friends living in the US who used to say during a conflict....

"We'll just fly back to Israel, kill a bunch of arabs, and come back....no problem"

So non nonchalant, it used to scare me.

[CalexenderJ]

As my man Cenk would say "OF COOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRSSSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!"

[ZimboChick]

well duh

[aaronr2000]

I better leave this one alone. The last time I thought this out loud I got banned from a popular liberal blog, so by media my fear is not just MSM is walking on egg shells when it comes to negative reporting on Israel. The site eventually lifted the ban but moderated everything I posted, but by then it had lost its appeal.

[1manstandin]

Its always been this way..and its sad..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geC4lLGZF_M

[barakagirl]

There is nothing new in this. US media owned by international bankers who most of them are of Jewish European ancestry and have long pushed the political strings for the creation of a Jewish State. Do some research on the owners of the Feds, the media (AP, Reuters, etc...),? Think Rothschild and co...
What's going on in Gaza and the West Bank is pure apartheid. Period.

Until we are real champion of peace and democracy we will never achieve peace in the ME with our current biaised policies.

[klandish]

How true!

[Magenta]

srael violated the ceasefire first by attacking civilians. Arabs have the right of self-defence too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/04/israel-gaza-hamas-hidden-agenda

"...the truce was thrown into jeopardy in November when the Israeli military killed six Hamas gunmen in a raid on Gaza... Between June 2007 and June 2008, Israeli attacks killed 68 Palestinian children and young people in Gaza...

In February, an Israeli missile killed four boys, aged eight to 14, playing football in the street in Jabalia. In April, Meyasar Abu-Me'tiq and her four children, aged one to five years old, were killed when an Israeli missile hit their house as they were having breakfast. Even during the ceasefire, Israel killed 22 people in Gaza, including two children and a woman...

But Israel did not end the siege that was wrecking the economy and causing desperate shortages of food, fuel and medicine... "When the Israelis pulled out... We didn't expect that we would have to beg to allow food in," she said.

Yossi Alpher, a former Israeli Mossad official and an ex-adviser on peace negotiations said the blockade of Gaza is a failed strategy that might have strengthened Hamas. "... It's collective punishment, humanitarian suffering... "I think people really believed that, if you starved Gazans, they will get Hamas to stop the attacks. It's repeating a failed policy, mindlessly."