A recent column by Danny Zaken titled "A wave of anti-Israel bias sweeping Western media" suggested there's an expectation of objectivity from international media. However, the uncomfortable truth is that what we're witnessing isn't merely a passing trend – it's a manifestation of deeply rooted, historical antisemitism.
While journalism schools preach the ethical imperative of fair and objective reporting, recent coverage reveals a persistent anti-Israel bias that often veers into antisemitic territory, as evidenced by CNN's reporting.
In its coverage of the precision strikes in Lebanon, CNN consistently omitted Hezbollah's designation as a terrorist organization; casualties from the organization were euphemistically labeled as "Lebanese civilians" rather than "Hezbollah operatives"; Hezbollah's barrage of missiles targeting Israel since October 8, 2023, was downplayed as "the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict"; in at least one notable instance, a reporter abdicated journalistic responsibility by allowing Lebanese interviewees – suspected terrorists – to frame the narrative unchallenged; the October 7 massacre was diminished to an "attack" at best and characterized as a "defeat" at worst, effectively adopting Hamas' perspective; and, in an echo of historical Christian antisemitism, the pager strike on Hezbollah terrorists was branded as "satanic attack."
This bias has historical precedent. In Christian Europe, antisemitism was typically fueled by popular hostility, even while nobility and monarchs often favored Jews for their own self-interest. One Spanish monarch reportedly compared Jews to sponges: they could be dispersed among the population to accumulate wealth, then "squeezed" to fill the kingdom's coffers. Indeed, in 14th-century Spain, as in America today, Jewish lineage was common among aristocratic families.
Medieval Europe's pogroms often erupted when populations rose against both monarchy and Jews. During the 1391 riots in Castile, Spain, inflamed mobs massacred Jews despite royal military intervention. Similarly, the devastating 1506 Lisbon massacre of "New Christians" – forcibly converted Jews – began only after rioters successfully drove out the city's military garrison.
This historical pattern provides context for today's media bias. In the modern era, mass media represents popular sentiment, and has historically provided momentum for antisemitic narratives since its inception. This trend emerged in 19th-century Europe when mass-circulation newspapers amplified antisemitic sentiments to boost their readership. Antisemitic newspapers actively supported organizations working to defame Jews and prevent their social integration. In France, the antisemitic newspaper La Libre Parole (Free Speech) published caricatures that continue to influence Arab cartoonists today.
Given this historical context, expectations of sympathetic coverage from global media are unrealistic. Israeli hasbara officials must factor this reality into their approach.
