Israel's Media - It's Own Worst Enemy

From Lilac Sagan's Maariv op-ed (in Hebrew), State anti - Israel wherein she asks: It is time to ask how the Israeli media coverage of the Middle East conflict contributes to the growing anti-Semitism around the world against us - and begin to repair the distorted image

Excerpts:

...The feeling in the Western world is that Israel creates a situation where hatred, and therefore the Jews of the world, is justified. You can not underestimate the contribution of Israeli policy in these tones...[and] since Israel is the only country in which there is a free media, the international media largely fueled by the Israeli press, and let's face it: The picture here is one - sided.

For some reason, our free press chooses to emphasize only the part of Israel in the difficult situation facing the Palestinians, which affects relations with all countries around it. For us, critical journalism means to expose only Israel's crimes.

When did you last read a comprehensive investigation of corruption in the West Bank? The last time you saw an investigation on corruption in government in the West Bank? Palestinians on the education system that teaches hate and does not give legitimacy to Israel's existence? The feats of Hamas in Gaza or on the many terrorist factions whose meaning is not "responsible adult" one with whom we can talk about a comprehensive settlement?

...we emphasize only what's wrong with us, the conduct of the other party is forgettable. From the picture that emerges is difficult for those watching from the outside and does not know the facts to reach a different conclusion, because they have never been exposed...

Without realizing it, our media also lending a hand to the process [of this anti-Semitism and anti-Israel feeling], because it is not aware of the important role in this arena...[its] approach: first, that the Israeli public tires of the one - sided picture, and so despite the media's activities, there is no real impact on the government's mindset. And secondly, that it contributes to the building of a distorted image.

Why the world does not know "who we really are"? If we do not know who we really are, and if we do not care to stress ourselves the profound differences between the Israeli essence barbaric nature of Hamas, for example, will continue to intensify the atmosphere which threatens us and the Jews throughout the world. Every day that passes we increase their legitimacy and erode our own legitimacy.

Israel's own worst enemy.

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