Defending Israel Against Claims of Excessive Force

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DOES ISRAEL USE EXCESSIVE FORCE?

Some people think so.

DOES ISRAEL USE EXCESSIVE FORCE?

WERE THESE PEOPLE INFLUENCED

BY ONE OF THE GREATEST POWERS

IN THE WORLD TODAY?

(The Mass Media)

OK, not direct mind control. But the media does in!uence – and distort – the way people think.

WHEN TERRORISTS

ATTACK

ISRAELI CIVILIANS

THE MEDIA DOWNPLAY

THE INITIAL AGGRESSION.

WHEN ISRAEL

RESPONDS

THE MEDIA EMPHASIZE THE RESPONSE

AND IGNORE THE TERROR.

That process can lead to the media claiming Israel uses excessive force.

The media uses three techniques to misrepresent Israel’s actions.

1. Reversing the order of events

2. Leaving out context 3. Using misleading language to

distort the con!ict

News reports put emphasis on Israel’s response to a provocation rather than the provocation itself.

The headline incorrectly implies that Israel is solely responsible for the violence.

THE FACTS: Israel’s response was self-defense after the initial provocation— mortar bombs launched into Israel.

Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip wounded five Hamas security officers and a boy today after militants launched mortar bombs into Israel, lightly injuring two people.

after militants fired mortar shells

Five Times as many People Read Headlines as Read the Body Copy

DAVID OGILVY, MARKETING MAVEN

retaliation for

WHEN THE TIMELINE IS REVERSED,

IT CREATES THE IMPRESSION OF A

“CYCLE OF VIOLENCE” AND

ALL VIOLENCE IS DEEMED MORALLY

EQUAL.

In reality, there is no cycle.

Terrorists openly declare an intent to kill civilians and Israel tries to protect its citizens.

after militants in the Hamas-controlled territory fired rockets into southern Israel.

Studies Reveal: Stories that Distort the Timeline are Everywhere

HONESTREPORTING

The media often leave out key facts that allow readers to make sense of a situation.

When you read about Palestinians throwing stones at IDF soldiers...

Do you think of this?

Or this?

The Media Often Report on the Gaza Blockade

But it doesn’t tell you the whole story.

Does the media ask why there is a

blockade in the "rst place?

Because of constant attempts to smuggle weapons into Gaza.

March 15th, 2011: Victoria 50 tons of weapons in three

containers 60 mm and 120 mm mortar shells C-704 anti-ship missiles Assault rifle ammo

ü

ü ü ü

Nov. 3th, 2009: Francop

36 containers with 500 tons of arms:

9,000 mortar bombs 3,000 Katyusha rockets 3,000 gun shells 20,000 grenades half a million rounds

of ammunition

ü ü ü ü ü

May 21st, 2003: Abu Hasan

Carrying a Hezbollah operative specializing in explosives. Cargo:

Radio-activation system to detonate bombs

Directions on how to carry out terror attacks

5 boxes with rocket fuses 25 Katyusha rocket

detonators

ü

ü

ü ü

The Free Gaza Movement sent a !otilla to Gaza to break the blockade. The press called it an “aid” mission.

That’s not how Free Gaza founder Adam Shapiro described his movement:

“Free Gaza is but one tactic of a larger strategy, to transform this con!ict from one between Israel and the Palestinians, or Israel and the Arab world... to one between the rest of the world and Israel.”

The media said the !otilla brought tons of aid to Gaza.

Expired Medicine Unloaded Off Gaza Flotilla

It failed to mention it was less aid than Israel delivers to Gaza every two days.

The media speculates on Israel’s actions and fabricates facts to make Israel appear aggressive.

Just because Israel is accused of something in the press does not mean it happened.

During the Gaza War, The Independent “exposed” Israel’s secret uranium bomb.

During the Gaza War, The Independent “exposed” Israel’s secret uranium bomb. The U.N. concluded otherwise:

“No depleted uranium shrapnel, or other radioactive residue was found.” – UNEP

The newspaper has yet to retract the story.

“No depleted uranium shrapnel, or other radioactive residue was found.” – UNEP

During the Gaza War, The Independent “exposed” Israel’s secret uranium bomb. The U.N. concluded otherwise:

Making Israel appear aggressive.

The media is often more interested in how Israel might respond to violence than the violence itself...

FALSE ACCUSATION: Israel is moving “closer to war”

THE FACTS: The article downplays attacks on Israel by speculating about Israel's response.

SPECULATION: “It has left pundits wondering if Israel is preparing for a new ground offensive.”

SPECULATION: “could provoke Israel into a decisive strike and bring it one step closer to a new Middle East war.”

Israel’s image is in your hands. Use the power of the Internet and the media to spread the truth about Israel’s defensive measures.

We’ve seen how the media can in!uence public opinion against Israel.

But you can help set the record straight.

If journalists misreport Israel’s defensive measures as “excessive force”:

1. Let the newspaper know it is reporting inaccurately

2. Share your views through social media

3. Send the report to HonestReporting

Demand: ü  Accurate timelines ü  Appropriate context ü  Factual reports

Join the conversation:

•  Get weekly media bias alerts at www.honestreporting.com

•  Join our network on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

•  Watch our "lms on YouTube

A single person can’t make a difference, but a network of thousands can.

Don’t let the media distort Israel’s image.

Make your voice heard.

DIGITAL DIPLOMATS SERIES from HonestReporting.com

Thank you for getting involved.

DIGITAL DIPLOMATS SERIES from HonestReporting.com

All content, unless otherwise noted, is copyright © HonestReporting, and may not be modi"ed or distributed in any form without permission. Images on slides 1, 2, 3, 33, and 47 are © istockphoto.

Image Credits: 4. Wikimedia Commons/Domino_effect/Louise 5. Wikimedia Commons/Toppledominos/Enoch Lai 6. Wikimedia Commons/Faules1200/Carles Cañellas 7. Flickr/Robin hood at 90m/cobalt"sh 10. Wikim. Commons/Truman_Chicago_Tribune/public domain 11. Flickr/20090213-time_!ies/Debbya 14. Flickr/Paper Texture - Torn Edge 3/thousandshipz,

Flickr/My Messy Moleskine/Alexandre Dulaunoy 16. Flickr/Protected by/stevensnodgrass 18. Wikimedia Commons/Jigsaw 3D2/Jedudedek 19. Flickr/what’s causing vertigo/gagilas 20. Flickr/6038417591/ismpalestine 23. Flickr/Unloading the Weaponry/idfonline 25. Flickr/Weaponry Found On-Board the “Victoria”/idfonline

Flickr/Torn Paper/Playingwithbrushes 26. Flickr/Iranian Arms… Francop 3Nov09 – Crates/IsraelMFA 27. abu hassan/idfspokesperson 29. Adam Shapiro/joefriendly 30. Flickr/Expired Medicine/idfonline 31. Flickr/Goods & gas enter Gaza/idfonline 32. Flickr/Mouth (2)/AlishaV 37. Flickr/checkmate/laerte 40. Flickr/Checkmate/maikel_nai 42. Flickr/setting the record straight/gorriti 46. Flickr/Hand and lens, distortion/j_silla