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

[newworldman777]

Obviously, our media is in the tank with I_srael; that's a given of which most of us have been aware for some time now.

Now, we have American politician Michael Bloomberg throwing "American" support behind I_srael. He tried to simplify the situation -- "putting it into context" -- as to why the Israelis are reacting with such overwhelming force. He said, "If you were in your apartment, and some crazy person came to your door and started beating upon it while screaming at you, would you expect one policeman to come and handle it, or would you expect a contingent of them to come?" This analogy will garner support for Israel only among ignorant Americans.

Unfortunately, Bloomberg's analogy is hopelessly flawed. He failed to mention that the "crazy man" outside the door actually owned the apartment and that the current occupier of the apartment had driven the owner out at gunpoint, effectively stealing his apartment and all of his belongings in the process. He also conveniently omitted the fact that the "crazy man" outside of the apartment really isn't crazy at all; he is just the victim of massive assault and theft by the man inside the apartment. The man outside the door is the one who should be calling the police to remove the "crazy man" inside of the apartment, since the crazy man in the apartment justifies his theft on the fact that his "god" told him that the apartment belonged to him forever. Talk about crazy...

[POINT84]

Watch CNN international, I know, I know. but the difference will shock you too.

[uglyhumanbeing]

zen tsar sheep, strawmen sock puppetry, and proper's ganda aren't american values: electronic frontier foundation dot org.

[wbramh]

Bullshit!
If you read the article that engendered this ignorant add-on article, it contains no proof of media bias beyond mentioning the balance of commentary responses contained in the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times and Washington Post. Maybe that's the way they see it and maybe that's why they write for the NYT and WaPo instead of Al Jazeera or the Butte Bum F*%k.
That's what the Op-Ed pages are for. They reflect the prejudices of the writers - hence the term "OP-ED"
Perhaps Huffington should start separating their own Op-Ed from the news.
and stop blatantly and deliberately confusing its own opinions with fact.

[TruthNow101]

DUHHHHHH It doesn't take a genius to figure this out

[ShakeYourComplacency]

I agree with this article. Any pretense of holding back, compromising, or attacking with regret is not even bothered with anymore. If you ask me, I think it's been ever since 911. Because everybody and their mother has been designated a terrorist, terrorist sympathizer, terrorist funder, enemy combatant, unlawful combatant, terrorist planners, or growing threat. There are no borders anymore under those rules. And Israel, never shy before to cross borders, seems emboldened with a new righteousness and authority.

I do think we should generally support Israel, but specifically encourage or discourage actions which will exacerbate the original problem. It's just not acceptable to go from slaughter to slaughter in my book, even if you think you are right. And these crackdowns and bloodbaths just recruit more hamas members.

[lis60]

This article is SO COMPLETE untrue! If anything, it has been the other way around!!!

[xxnounxx]

lis60

THIS ARTICLE IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH...I HAVE SHOCKED AMERICANS FRIENDS WO DONT BELIEVE WHAT THEY WHERE SEEING WHEN THEY SWITCHED TO NEWS COVERAGE OUTSIDE AMERICA.

THERE IS A FAMOUS SAYING.....A PERSON THAT CONCEALS THE TRUTH IS A DEVIL IN DISGUISE

[SnapShots]

Examples, please.

[pita143]

so its Bias to report what is happening, but where was the call for Media Bias when every night Hamas rained rockets down on Israel? Where was the UN? The actions of Hamas would be an Act of War on any other Country on this Planet. The UN would step in and insist sanctions be levied against the agresser. But not against Hamas. The UN Observers even sat back and watched as Rockets were fired into Israel from within 100 yards of the UN Observers and they did nothing.

I believe Israel may have gone too far, but I believe they have the right to defend themselves at all costs. Hamas was voted in by the people but Hamas has been doing nothing but buying more Rockets planning more Suicide Bombings and Car Bombings and doing nothing for the people.

[klandish]

So we haven't noticed how the U.S. is depicting this outrage? We have. HUNDREDS of civilians killed but the biggest headline is for the ONE soldier killed from Israel.

[MagisterLudi]

"but even though that invasion had become ever more likely all week the paper did not return to this subject."

That a skewed perception largely based on antipathy toward NY TImes' stance.

And now ( drum roll) REALITY:

Editorial War Over Gaza
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/opinion/31grossman.html?ref=opinion

p-Ed Contributor David Grossman
Fight Fire With a Cease-Fire
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/opinion/31grossman.html?ref=opinion

Op-Ed Contributor BENNY MORRIS
Published: December 29, 2008
Why Israel Feels Threatened
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/opinion/30morris.html?ref=opinion

News Analysis "Clinton, Familiar With Pitfalls of Mideast Politics, May Face Early Test in Gaza
By MARK LANDLER published: January 2, 2009

News Analysis:Is the Real Target Hamas Rule?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/middleeast/04assess.html

In a Broadening Offensive, Israel Steps Up Diplomacy
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/world/middleeast/02mideast.html

The New Meaning of an Old Battle
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/weekinreview/04myers.html

Text: Statement From Israel"s Defense Minister
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/middleeast/04cnd-mtext.html

Egypt Pressed on Gaza From Without and Within
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/middleeast/03egypt.html?ref=world

AND A LOT MORE.
Here's a suggestion. If you support Hamas in this conflict stop reading N Y Times and switch to Al Jazeera. Ciao.

[tellusthetruth]

US media won't allow cable/sat. to offer Al Jazeera or I would have it...

[Mesaywar]

Ohhhhhhhhh,......I see, I see now.....calling a politically motivated military operation in which most of the casualties are civilians trapped behind walls and check-points what it is means one supports Hamas in this conflict. Thanks for explaining. I guess all it will take is few more buried school children to finally stop those rockets. Ciao.

[shanghaislim]

You really don't understand this conflict, do you?

The Palestinians are suffering, but why and because of WHO'S policies?

The policy of HAMAS and the PLO to destroy Israel and ignore cease-fires!!!!!

[MagisterLudi]

On related news: U.S. war coverage largely biased towards an ally England during WW2..

[motoGpifupleez]

Nicely stated. Loved your Bio, by the way.

[Tulka2]

So... i went to read your bio too and it's easy to see where you would come down on this one from that list of quotes.

I do not care about history. Bigots always use history to their own benifit. All i care about are little bare feet on the ground. Over half of Gaza are children.

[drgrph]

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. (George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905)

And if the parents of these Palestinian children cared for them as much as you do they would not put them in harm's way. That rockets are launched from civilian neighborhoods and refugee camps is not Israel's fault.

The fact is that their "brother" organization, Hezbollah, used civilian shields and casualties successfully to turn world opinion against Israel's incursion into Lebanon. Not that it really takes much to do so. This approach was also used, ultimately without success, by the Iraqi insurgency and their proxy, the Democratic Party. (Sad to say, it's the truth. Remember who made the quote that the surge had failed - before it really started - and that the war was lost?)

All of my 51 years have been punctuated by the wars waged between the Arabs and the Jews. I think you missed ML's point - that is there is nothing wrong with honest reporting which favors "the good guys". My observations lead me to just one conclusion - for the most part it is Israel that are the "good guys". The forces of anti-Semitism, both then and now, simply are not.

[shanghaislim]

Totally misguided!!!!! (Noble, but wrong never-the-less)

Do you think it is strange that YOU care more about the "little bare feet" than do their own leaders and relatives (who continue their terrorist acts against OTHER innocent people)

Or did you forget about them, too? You know the school children at Pizza Hut in Tel Aviv who get blown to little bits just cause they wanted to have lunch?????

[Hirnlego]

Like supporting Apartheid South Africa you mean?

[sclucie]

Forget the American press. The NYT ran a photo show on the suffering Israelis today. This one is international. And if you are not American? Please believe me when I tell you that we do not all support this invasion. I could not be more against it or more ashamed that we are the ones who are funding it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/jan/04/israelandthepalestinians-middleeast?picture=341317761

[Palemoon]

Of course the media is biased in favor of Israel. Who do you think owns a majority of the media in this country? Rupert Murdoch alone owns quite alot of newspapers and network channels in the US alone. He owns even more in his home country of Australia as well as Britain. All of them endorse the same propaganda that we have grown accustomed to in having to endure the travesty that is Fox News.

Anyways, the most sensible quote in this whole conflict has come from Israel's longest serving Prime Minister....

"Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them? Our God is not theirs. We come from Israel, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been antisemitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that? They may perhaps forget in one or two generations' time, but for the moment there is no chance."

[KipWinger]

Boy with all the world’s cameras focused on Israel, it’s a good thing nothing else is happening in Pakistan, India, North Korea, China, Russia or any other place with territorial disputes and terrorist groups. It must be sunny and pleasant in Darfur, Rwanda and Somalia. Tilted towards Israel? Y’all leaning too far left. Oh, and at last check, Ted Turner and Rupert Murdoch weren’t Jewish, NBC was owned by a corporation, and NPR was funded by the American citizenry.

[Meok]

There's a well known website that starts with the words "Media" whose role, according to itself is "monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media."
I wonder why they NEVER cover any issues with the US media during wars like the Israeli/Lebanon war of 2006 and the ongoing one.
Looking at their excellent track record, it's amazing that they totally ignore coverage of the war (biased or unbiased.)
If you launched a search on their site, you'd not find a single article related to this war...I wonder why.