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European media: Israelis not victims

Ze’ev Schiff in Haaretz questions European coverage of the conflict: terrorism against Israeli citizens is seen by many abroad, and especially in Europe, as part of a tribal war in a distant land. That accords…

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Ze’ev Schiff in Haaretz questions European coverage of the conflict:

terrorism against Israeli citizens is seen by many abroad, and especially in Europe, as part of a tribal war in a distant land. That accords with one of the conclusions of a study conducted in Germany (published recently in the professional journal Media Tenor) about the way in which German television covers Israel. “In the news, Israel is for the most part seen as the guilty party. Even when covering stories where Israelis suffer from the acts of their opponents, they are not simply presented as victims. Editors often frame suicide attacks as a reaction to injustices committed against Palestinians.” When such a trend continues for years, it’s no wonder that in many places Israel is seen as constituting a threat to world peace, much more so than North Korea or Iran, for example. The researchers say there is a direct link between the negative publicity about Israel and attacks on Jews.

On the other hand, a bigger headline is guaranteed if the Israelis dare to defend themselves determinedly. That has always been the approach, long before Israel began to build the separation fence. There is no point in going to the International Court of Justice in The Hague if Israel cannot succeed in convincing anyone that it is on the defense in the face of mass terror.

Here’s the Media Tenor critique of German coverage of Israel, which Schiff refers to.

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