Tel Aviv Market Terror Attack: Media Mess Ups

A Palestinian terror attack on the Sarona market in Tel Aviv prompts some serious media fails in the immediate aftermath.

By Simon Plosker June 08, 2016

A deadly Palestinian terror attack in Tel Aviv’s busy Sarona market on Wednesday night has resulted in at least four deaths and several serious injuries.

Here’s a first look at some of the media mess ups in the initial aftermath of the attack.

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IT COULDN’T POSSIBLY BE PALESTINIANS COULD IT?

Having quoted Israeli police and eyewitnesses describing a terrorist attack, the BBC still couldn’t figure out who might be responsible.

 

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Could there possibly be a link between this attack and those from the past several months that have been perpetrated by Palestinians?

Trust the BBC not to correctly add 2+2.

Still, while the BBC had difficulty figuring out this one attack, Sky News questioned Palestinian responsibility for every terror attack.

 

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HORRIBLE HEADLINES

The terror attack took place in the Sarona market, which happens to be located near the Israeli Defense Ministry and Kiryah military headquarters.

Despite the fact that this was clearly a terrorist attack against a civilian target, the Daily Telegraph‘s headline stressed the incidental proximity to the Defense Ministry at the expense of the actual location of the attack.

 

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All too often the location of a terrorist attack, be it in the Disputed Territories or at a military base, is used by the media to explain away or even justify Palestinian violence even when the victims are Israeli civilians.

Let it be absolutely clear – this latest terror attack targeted civilians and not security personnel.

The Independent, however, got its geography completely wrong. Its headline referred to the Tel Aviv attack taking place in the “Israeli capital.”

HonestReporting prompted a swift correction – see here.

While it was later amended, if you ever wanted proof that RT (formerly Russia Today), the Kremlin propaganda outfit, is anything but a serious news outlet, this headline offered definitive proof.

 

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Even allowing for reports suggesting that one of the terrorists may have been dressed in traditional ultra-Orthodox garb, there is simply no excuse for this abysmal and misleading headline.

 

If you spot something in your local media that deserves our attention, let us know by contacting us through our Red Alert page.

 

Photo: Flash90 / Ben Kelmer

© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025

Simon Plosker

Simon Plosker

With over two decades of experience in various non-governmental organizations in the UK and Israel, Simon Plosker returned to HonestReporting in October 2022 as Editorial Director having previously been part of the organization’s management team from 2005 to 2020.

Prior to his first spell at HonestReporting, Simon worked in Israel for NGO Monitor, BICOM, and served for a short period in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. He was Managing Editor of the Geneva-based NGO United Nations Watch for two years before moving back to the frontline defending Israel from media bias.

Simon has a BSoc.Sc in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics. He immigrated to Israel in 2001 from London.

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