Media coverage favors Iran while scrutinizing Israel during Iran war

During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2023, international media coverage displayed significant bias against Israel, focusing primarily on the legality of Israel’s military actions while neglecting Iran’s violations. A comprehensive study conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute utilized advanced AI tools to analyze articles from 17 leading news outlets. The results were revealing: 77% of the articles discussing the legality of actions during the war scrutinized Israel’s conduct, while only 23% addressed Iran's actions. This disparity was stark despite Iran’s use of banned weapons and indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas. Major Western media organizations like CNN and The New York Times largely reflected this trend, dedicating a vast majority of their coverage to questioning Israel’s legality under international law. For instance, Al Jazeera English portrayed an even harsher bias, with 92% of their legal discussions centered on Israel's actions. The study pointed out that criticisms of Israel's military operations began as soon as the conflict started and continued consistently, even as Iran engaged in deliberate attacks against Israeli cities and hospitals. Researchers indicated that the focus on Israel's actions overshadowed reports on Iran's warfare tactics, particularly when Iran was firing cluster bombs at civilians. This situation presented an unfair media standard where Iran seemed to evade rigorous scrutiny. The findings also showed a pattern of selective citation, where Iranian officials defending their actions were frequently quoted, whereas Israeli representatives were seldom given similar platforms. Additionally, after this war, there was a notable global media blackout involving over 250 news outlets across more than 70 countries. This coordinated initiative was a response to the alarming number of journalist deaths in Gaza, purportedly caused by Israeli attacks. The effort aimed to highlight the challenges faced by journalists whenever conflict arises, especially against the backdrop of political sensitivities surrounding the reporting of Gaza. According to reports from organizations like Reporters Without Borders, more than 210 journalists had died in Gaza since a significant attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2022. Israeli officials condemned the blackout, suggesting that it merely parroted a false narrative promoted by Hamas. They labeled it a political maneuver rather than a genuine concern for journalistic safety. Officials from Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the media's stance, contending that it represented a dangerous bias and a deliberate erasure of objective reporting. This culminated in the perception that there was a broader trend of media manipulation, whereby journalists and news outlets chose to homogenize their messages against Israel, sidelining pivotal facts about ongoing violence and the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Foreign Ministry’s response signaled a growing concern among Israeli officials about how international narratives were constructed and the need for greater transparency about Israel's military actions moving forward.