The UK mainstream media is once again facing criticism for its coverage of “Israel’s” actions in Gaza, raising concerns about journalistic biases and double standards fueled by misinformation.
Faisal Hanif, a media analyst at the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM), explained to Anadolu that “There are distinct patterns in how Gaza is reported. Over the past 10 months, there have been multiple instances where incorrect and misleading information has been published.”
In a tragic incident last month, “Israel” killed two newborn twins, just four days old, during an airstrike on their parents’ apartment in central Gaza while their father was out collecting their birth certificates.
Major Western news outlets, such as the BBC and Sky News, did not mention “Israeli strikes” in the headlines of their social media posts, prompting online users to ask, “Killed by who?”
Hanif pointed out that many Western media outlets continue to cite a fabricated story from the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, which falsely claimed that Palestinian Resistance group Hamas had “beheaded babies.”
He emphasized that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced this debunked narrative in his speech to the US Congress in July, which the BBC reported verbatim without offering readers the crucial context that investigative journalists had already exposed the story as false.
British media withholding information This scenario is commonly referred to as “the omission of information,” a notable trend in British media’s coverage of Gaza, particularly in headlines where the occupation is responsible.
Hanif criticized both the media and other entities, including politicians who defend Ukraine against Russia but fail to adopt a similar stance during the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. He observed, “Often, this detail is left out, whereas in the case of Ukraine and Russia, the Russians are clearly identified as the aggressors.”
He further noted that “Many readers have recognized this double standard from some of the most well-known publishers and news outlets.”
Hanif also underscored that the selective use of language is “a significant issue,” revealing the underlying biases of these outlets.
He added, “The way October 7 is described with intense and alarming terms such as ‘brutal,’ ‘barbaric,’ and ‘slaughter’ is in stark contrast to the murder of over 40,000 Gazans, which is sometimes barely mentioned or is described as ‘unfortunate.'”
The CfMM’s Gaza 2023-24 report, released in March, highlighted “substantial biases in media coverage” in the UK regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestine, noting that British media portray Israelis as victims of attacks 11 times more often than Palestinians.
Top CNN journalists criticize CNN for ‘Israel’ bias: The Intercept A leaked recording of a recent meeting obtained by The Intercept reveals dissatisfaction among CNN staff, including prominent international news anchor Christiane Amanpour, who criticized network executives for their approach to covering the war in Gaza.
During a panel discussion at CNN’s London Bureau on February 13, executives were questioned about the network’s protocols for covering the war, particularly the hostile environment for Arab reporters.
According to The Intercept, in January, CNN expanded and rebranded a protocol that requires news about Gaza to first be sent to their bureau in occupied al-Quds before publication. This protocol, known as SecondEyes, subjects the reporting to scrutiny by journalists in al-Quds, who operate under “Israel’s” military censorship.
Amanpour voiced her concerns to the panel, stating, “You’ve heard from me, you know how distressed I am about SecondEyes — changing copy, double standards, and everything else,” and added, “So you’ve heard it, and I hear what your response is, and I hope it leads to meaningful change.”
Another journalist in the recording expressed their frustration, saying, “I was in southern Lebanon during October and November… And it was more upsetting for me to watch CNN than to hear the bombs nearby.”
The journalist continued, “It is distressing to see my colleagues and family repeatedly giving a platform to people who either call for my death or use dehumanizing language against me… and others like me. This, of course, severely impacts our credibility in the region.”
