Nima Elbagir, chief CNN international investigative correspondent published a piece that represents “activism masquerading as journalism.” The Associated Press and Reuters are “quick to report Hamas’s questionable claims.” And ABC “bizarrely” stated that “Israel was violating a ceasefire that had not yet come into effect.”
These are among the instances of media bias that the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) recently published in a newsletter.
The watchdog also cited anti-Israel bias in reporting in Voice of America, Poynter, PolitiFact, Sky News, Orange County Register, The Guardian and France 24 Arabic.
READ: Questions arise of media coverage of war
Examples of biased or misinformed coverage:
Of one of the instances, David Litman, a CAMERA senior analyst, wrote that “the claim that Israel’s treatment of two terrorists, who attempted to murder Jews in separate terror attacks, is proof that Israel treats all Palestinians as terrorists is baffling, to put it mildly.”
The French news agency AFP continues refusing correcting a report that listed just “dozens” of Israelis taken hostage instead of giving the correct number which would be in the hundreds.
The Nov. 28 article, “More hostages to be freed as Israel-Hamas truce prolonged,” stated on October 7 “Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping dozens.”
In a CAMERA op-ed, the organization takes the media to task further.
In one CNN report, Tara John reported quotes as having come from an “aid group,” when in fact the information had come from Hamas operatives.
ABC News was forced to correct the its false reporting that Israel had breached the ceasefire on Friday when in fact it was Hamas.
CAMERA reports that on Nov. 22 an ABC headline stated: “IDF continues to bombard Gaza despite reaching deal on truce, hostages.” The opening paragraph echoed the false insinuation: “Despite reaching an agreement with Hamas on a temporary cease-fire in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages, the Israeli military continued to bombard the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning.”
The fact is that the ceasefire wasn’t scheduled to begin until the next day. CAMERA’s pressure on accuracy forced ABC to change the headline to “Hostilities continue before deal on hostages, temporary truce goes into effect.”
If you would like more information about CAMEA and their work at holding the media accountable for its reports on Israel, Hamas and Mideast conflict, visit their website.
For more daily news on Israel visit JNS.org.
–JNS.org and Metro Voice