The headlines say it all. CNN reported, “Israeli-Palestinian fighting kills 21.”    Who exactly did the killing is hidden.  The article also used photographic trickery to downplay the magnitude of the crimes. The BBC’s website read, “Day of Gaza unrest leaves 22 dead,” but featured a powerful online video.

One could argue that it should be obvious who did the killing and who did the dying — the Palestinians either launched rockets or killed a few soldiers, and Israel responded with brute force, killing mostly civilians. 

 

Sadly, many Americans and British citizens think the Palestinians are occupying Israel, and are all militants out to destroy Israel. With media coverage like this, it cannot be surprising they have no clue about the more than 40 year-old Israeli military occupation the Palestinians are fighting against.

On Wednesday, Israel launched its most violent assaults on Gaza since its incursion in early March.  Earlier in the day, the BBC reported, when Hamas fighters “approached” Israeli soldiers, they killed three and wounded three more near the Nahal Oz crossing. CNN described them as “exchanging fire.”  Hamas claimed it was a sophisticated ambush. So which was it?

Neither CNN nor BBC mentioned the word “occupation.”  This is like reporting about the Clinton and Obama campaigns without mentioning they are running for president — it is the defining feature of the strife, in both cases.

CNN was not completely irresponsible.  At least they did not lead with the Israeli soldiers’ deaths.  BBC was much better.

The choice of photographs to report on the death of a Palestinian Reuters cameraman, Fadel Shana, 23, who was killed by fire from an Israeli tank, along with two young civilians, say a lot.  He was in a car marked “TV” and “Press.”

CNN ran a photo, devoid of victims other than the truck, and without the sight of the scope of the devastation.

BBC’s picture was a bit closer to reality. It at least showed victims, but in such a way as to obscure the extent of the human suffering – a classic difference in “Western” media norms. 

 

Photo “A”

The photo it used (see photo marked A) makes it appear the youth are simply ducking for cover.  It is not clear the truck behind it was destroyed.

Photos provided by Al-Jazeera provided photographs closer to the reality.  It showed the true impact of the Israeli attack on the cameraman and the youth who were around him.

Photo “B”

Photo marked B is one of many it featured on its website. Others show more clearly the bloodshed.

The BBC and CNN photos, however, tell an incomplete and misleading story.  As the saying goes, a picture says a thousand words.  Especially when the story is a typical one — such as killing and dying in Gaza. Most people might glance at the first few paragraphs, but always at the pictures.

BBC balanced it out with a compelling short video, which included clips from Shana’s camera.  It also emphasized the fact that five Palestinian children were among the dead, something CNN obscures.

The Israeli military released a laughable statement: “We wish to express sorrow for the death of the Palestinian cameraman. On that note, it should be emphasized that the area in which the cameraman was hurt is an area in which ongoing fighting against armed extreme and dangerous terrorist organizations occurs on a daily basis.”

Basically, they said sorry, but it’s his fault.  What about the dozen or so other civilians Israel killed that day?  Who will apologize to their families?

The Al-Jazeera photos and original posts this article was based on can be viewed at www.kabobfest.com.