Photo Bias Alert: Palestinian Kids Back Behind Bars
June 27, 2012 15:26 by Simon PloskerThe Independent uses the following photo to illustrate a particularly critical story on the Israeli treatment of Palestinian child detainees:
What could be more illustrative and symbolic of the story than a photo of Palestinian children behind bars?
This time, however, The Independent has been well and truly busted. For the photo above is the classic example that featured in our Shattered Lens study on photo bias, in this case the use of bars to portray Palestinians as “prisoners” of Israeli occupation and brutality.
The photo first appeared just over two years ago in The Independent on June 21, 2010 accompanying a different story relating to Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Here is the original photo and caption courtesy of AFP / Getty:
Not only has The Independent been caught recycling an old file photo from two years ago but it has also confirmed the findings of Shattered Lens. This photo is not illustrative of the accompanying story at all and its symbolism derives from the ability of the photographer to use clever techniques to present a false impression that enhances images of Palestinian “suffering”.
Our study examined a sequence of photos that accompanied the one above and documented how a photographer was able to manipulate a Hamas-organized photo opportunity in Gaza.
Read the full chapter in Shattered Lens to see how Palestinian children were positioned behind a gate to give the impression of a prison and how using a great deal of skill to get the right position with the right lens from the right angle, the photographer manages to create an impression of many more than the several children in the actual shot.
So The Independent has:
- Recycled an old file photo that is factually unrelated to the story;
- Used a staged photo; and
- Deliberately misused the image to subliminally portray Palestinian “suffering”.
It might just be time for a photo recall. Send your complaints to The Independent’s News Desk – newseditor@independent.co.uk - and demand that the photo is withdrawn and the error acknowledged.
As for the story itself, The Guardian also ran a similar special report in January 2012 on alleged mistreatment of Palestinian children detained by the Israeli military.
HonestReporting critiqued this issue at the time and also published the Israeli Embassy in London’s official response.
UPDATE, July 3: Following this HonestReporting video critique, The Independent removed the offending photograph.
Mr. Light-Bright
6:08 pm
Jun 27, 2012
I think Mosab Hassan Yousef, would disagree.
I shudder to think what prison would be like for an Israeli child in Gaza (assuming they hadn’t killed him).
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Amy W
10:33 am
Jun 28, 2012
I saw somewhere that this is the open gate to a park.
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Shimon
10:35 am
Jun 28, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Scott
11:49 am
Jun 28, 2012
Shimon,
What is being suggested is that a STAGED photo SHOULD NOT be used to prop up a story about Israel. There is enough anger out there already with having to resort to dubious reporting ethics to further enrage the situation.
Staged photos like this actually only make it harder for peace to be achieved.
Mailman
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Adam
4:11 pm
Jun 29, 2012
Nothing wrong with the picture.
Wild animals should be kept behind bars.
Israel should stop apologizing for protecting itself.
Jewish kids would be killed on the spot without mercy in Arab countries.
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UN Fixation On Israel Gives Assad Free Pass | Blogs about Israel aggregation
9:33 pm
Jul 03, 2012
[...] I’m happy to say The Independent removed a misleading photo from an article about Palestinian minors – a photo that Yarden Frankl dissected just [...]
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calum
2:04 am
Jul 09, 2012
so israel doesnt imprison minors?
human rights? you’re having a laugh, we’re protecting ourselves here guys..!
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Dora Poltolarek
1:25 am
Nov 08, 2012
POOR HUMANITY WHEN CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO SCREAM AT SOLDIERS HOPING THAT ONE OF THEM LOOSES ITS PATIENCE, AND STARTS SOMETHING THEY CAN PHOTOGRAPH AND SHOW THE WORLD SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT TRUE BUT SINCE THEY ARE BLIND WITH RAGE THEY BELIEVE ANYTHING AND WILL START A RIOT. POOR HUMAN RACE IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? WE WILL NEVER FINISH WITH SUCH HATE I AM DEVASTATED AS I LOST MY AUNT HER HUSBAND AND TWO BOYS TO THE HITLER REGIME AND THOUGHT THAT NOW THE WORLD WOULD UNDERSTAND THE HORROR OF KILLING SIX MILLION JEWS AND MORE THAN TWENTY MORE MILLION OF HUMAN BEINGS. BUT IAM WRONG THE WORLD WILL NEVER LEAVE ISRAEL ALONE THEY ARE BEING BOMBARDED EVERY DAY AND I NEVER READ IN ANY NEWSPAPER
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