Become a Member

By

Adam Levick

Analysis

Media bias was everywhere

July 3, 2014 17:09
1 min read

The first port of call for an examination of bias in media coverage of the teens' murders is naturally the Guardian, one of the largest purveyors of the anti-Israel narrative. But it would be a mistake to focus there exclusively, as such coverage is, sadly, ubiquitous.

News stories during the weeks before the discovery of the bodies included a predictable emphasis on the settlements, a pictorial focus on Palestinian suffering and a failure to report the context of incitement.

Several stories falsely reported that the teens were "settlers", a pejorative term used to position Israeli victims of terror as somehow deserving their fate. The Guardian and Independent suggested this, although both errors were later corrected following our complaints. But the Economist has refused to correct their false characterisation of the teens as "three young Jewish settlers".

Most photos focused on the Israeli military response, rather than the boys or their families. A Daily Mail article stood out as the worst example: 16 photos depicting Israeli military operations near Hebron.

To get more from opinion, click here to sign up for our free Editor's Picks newsletter.