CAMERA Piece Published in Christian Science Monitor
When news reporters describe Fatah as “moderate” and Benjamin Netanyahu as “hardline,” they allow “their personal views, rather than just the facts, to dramatically influence public understanding of a controversial topic,” explains CAMERA Senior Research Analyst Gilead Ini. Writing in the Christian Science Monitor, Ini reminds readers that while Fatah may not be as hostile to Israel as the regime in Iran, portraying the organization (which refuses to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state), as “moderate” renders the word meaningless, especially when Israeli leaders (who have agreed to negotiations and the ultimate creation of a Palestinian state) are described as “hardline” or “hawkish.” Ini writes there “are ways around using this kind of language”:
For example, rather than labeling Hamas “extreme,” a reporter could simply explain that the group is responsible for suicide bombings against civilians and is designated by the international community as a terrorist organization. Readers will come to the appropriate conclusion.
Read it all here.
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