The Image U.S. Media Refused to Show of Israel's Brutal Occupation

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On Friday, Israeli soldiers threw sound grenades at a group of European diplomats trying to deliver emergency aid in the occupied territories, pulled a French diplomat, Marion Castaing, from a truck and threw her upon the ground. The image below, of Israeli border police surrounding Castaing as she lay on her back, was taken by a human rights activist as other journalists, including those from Reuters, looked on.

French diplomat Marion Castaing on the ground as Israeli border police surround her. Photo via Hugh Naylor.


This image, and others like it, received attention yesterday across the world, principally because the force used by Israeli soldiers was against a group of diplomats from France, Britain, Spain, Ireland, Australia and the European Union’s political office. It’s the type of force that is used against Palestinians on a daily basis.
However, while outlets such as the BBC, AFP, and Israel’s Haaretz carried full stories which included photos like the one above, not a single mainstream American outlet did so. In fact, even outlets that used the Reuters wire report, which included an image similar to the one above, choose not to display such an image in their reports. This includes The New York Times, which carried an abbreviated summary of the story under the title, “Israeli Soldiers Quarrel with Diplomats,” in contrast to the Reuters headline, “Israeli forces manhandle EU diplomats, seize West Bank aid.”

One of the reasons American public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so different from much of the world is due to Americans’ extreme ignorance – an ignorance fueled partially by mainstream U.S. outlets’ refusal to cover both sides of the conflict, to show the suffering Israel’s occupation visits upon Palestinians.
I’ve experienced this reticence personally with regard to my book, which is about my reconciliation with the Palestinian family of the bomber who injured my wife. While European broadcast media, including BBC radio and television, Sky News, as well as Irish and Scottish media, have covered my story, not a single U.S. outlet has done so save PRI’s The World, which is co-produced by the BBC. Why? Much of the American media establishment generally does not find the Israeli-Palestinian dynamic newsworthy unless there is violence involved, especially if that violence, in a wildly asymmetrical conflict, is perpetrated by Palestinians (who the MSM often uses as caricatures of evil).
In order for U.S. policies in the Middle East to change, public opinion will need shift. The American electorate will need to demand that the U.S. wield its incredible influence and compel Israel to step away from its destructive geo-political stances, such as the settlement enterprise and the occupation.
However, if the electorate remains ignorant of what is occurring in the occupied territories – of the military rule, indefinite detentions, home demolitions, suppression of basic civil rights and brutal force – nothing will change regarding American policy.
Democracy cannot truly function if an electorate is kept ignorant, as NSA revelations starkly revealed. And right now, regarding American foreign policy with regard to Israel and Palestine, democracy is not functioning.
And mainstream American media outlets are partially to blame.

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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, now out from Oneworld Publications. Follow him on Twitter @David_EHG.
 
 
 

0 thoughts on “The Image U.S. Media Refused to Show of Israel's Brutal Occupation

  1. David, there is obviously a reason why US media won’t report accurately on what is really going on, but you chose not to address it. In so doing, aren’t you part of the problem?

    • A) Please cite where I write the gun is pointed at her. It’s a peripheral issue.
      B) It seems you’ll be demanding apologies from a number of sources — from Reuters to +972. Please don’t spend too much
      time on it. To help out, I’ve given you a head start:
      http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/20/us-palestinians-israel-eu-hamlet-idUSBRE98J0GK20130920
      http://972mag.com/photo-israeli-soldiers-manhandle-french-diplomat/79139/

      • Whatever your source was, you now know that you transmitted a falsehood and did not present the entire story. When will you update your article to mention that the woman punched a soldier? This information is of the utmost importance for context here.
        Also, what was the point of the “image” that is at the center of this article, if not to transmit the idea that a gun was pointed at the woman?
        Finally, considering that the full story involves this woman, supposedly a diplomat, punching a soldier, shouldn’t one take the US media not covering it as evidence of anti-Israel bias?

        • The French diplomat is to be expelled. Will you please infrom your readers the reason for her expulsion or does tikkun mean repairing the world only when Israel can be shown in a negative light?

        • A month later, David Harris-Gershon has yet to acknowledge, or apologize for, his blatant lie.
          Shame on him, and all of those here who allow him to regularly spew his radical anti-Israel fanaticism, in the laughable guise of whatever it is he claims to be this week.
          But demanding honesty from David Harris-Gershon is the most losing of losing propositions, so don’t expect much on that count. He can’t say anything until he receives his talking points from Hamas, anyway…

  2. Why there are some people still picking on the issues of criticizing Israel ,and try to dissect every possibility that shows inhumane and criminal acts by distracting from the real fact ,that Israel oppresses and curtail any support, humane or other wise to the Palestinians struggle from others, even including some decent Jews whom have a conscious? The very obvious defensive defense ( most of the times ,very week one, if not blatant cover up) is just a statement about the lack and more lack of credibility of those who write such things, and subsequently Israel. It’s a self defeating method. They should try honesty, or get real informed, if they have been mislead. Israel is committing an illegal and inhumane act toward those Palestinians, all that follows is a subsequent to that initial act, and they are responsible . Save the mumble jumble Israeli Hasbara, most people are exposed to the reality by now.

    • Let me ask you a question, Monir – when you burn crosses in front of synagogues, what exactly do you feel? I’ve always been curious as to what drives people like you…

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