Media critics and mea culpas from some outlets aside, a journalistic analysis of how media reported the tragedy at the al-Ahli reveals lessons—not errors—as well as the likely truth of what happened.
Thank you, Seth! This was amazing (albeit a bit long, but that's your method and style). I was able to find the necessary nuggets to understand the situation more fully. Please keep up the great work that you are doing! I think, overall, from Al Jazeera to BBC, journalists are doing a decent job right now. It's very challenging. Not to be a bummer, though, I really do believe that, no matter how accurate and right-thinking the journalists are, the tides of history have turned and that we are headed towards global warfare on a grand scale. In terms of the United States, this may or may not help Biden, but frankly, I am not hopeful. Nevertheless, there's a chance that the serious press, good journalism, and intrepid historians will set us free in the long run.
KWL. What I know before the first read of your phenomenal article is to seek truth from passionate and forthright independent journalists and educators. I want to know why so many people choose to be only subjective. I learned that “partisanship is not objective.” For that reason, I am formally declaring my party affiliation to independent.
Thank you for sharing your hard and spellbinding research. We cannot build trust without truth, without seeking truth. We cannot build trust without saying I am sorry and will you forgive me. Honest leaders know that.
Hi Seth, a forensic analysis much appreciated. Sorry, my editing brain wants to let you know a typo: left leaning not learning. Apologies for the pedantry.
Israel has lied many, many times in the past about everything from its bombing of Palestinian hospitals and mosques to the fact that during Operation Cast Lead in early 2009, the IDF used Gazan civilians as human shields to determine whether buildings were rigged with explosives.
I never believed anyone other than Israel bombed Al Ahli Hospital.
This report is far too long to have the impact that it deserves.
If you could publish the key findings about the IDF disinformation campaign into a separate story, then it could be more widely shared and, more importantly, more widely read.
As it stands, the truth is buried deep in the text and I fear will never be heard or read by enough people to matter. This is important work. It needs to be more accessible.
I wrote an executive summary. I am afraid I cannot shape my work to fit a PR campaign. If someone else wants to do so, that is fine. I am a journalist, not a propagandist. I cannot package my work as though its chief aim is persuasion rather than memorialization. I am a researcher and a chronicler, not a politician.
After careful thought I want to thank you Professor for this excellent analysis. The discrepancy of the *timeline* is especially a factor, and the fire registration round days before. Forensics and facts outweigh emotions
What is at issue here is jumping to reporting as 'facts' without the appropriate vetting. Had the approach of the original reporting been "this thing happened. Teams (we) are investigating", there would have been no issues. Thanks for your detailed analysis and ensuring the truth is reported, once confirmed, Seth. We are desperate for credibility and reliable news and appreciate all you are doing on that front.
I admire you, Seth, both for your honest and moral stance, and for the lengthy in-depth curatorial reporting. Thank you for helping us know how to think about this ongoing horror.
incredible reporting but TOO LONG my friend, so few will read it all. give the gist of the story near the top, so many more will get it. Those that want to FULL version will still read it all.
I wrote the executive summary so that those with the patience for four paragraphs only have something to chew on. At some point I just have to rely on readers to cite the sections they deem most important in the places they think those excerpts will be most useful.
No sooner had I read this article than a meme showed up on my feed from a friend relating to the vast amount of fuel Hamas is hording. When I searched for the fact check I found articles from every major media publication including foreign publications. The only source for the information cited was IDF. As I read the news yesterday I noticed subtle shift to a pervasively pro-Israel slant and it occurred to me that you recognized this movement as it was developing. As a matter of fact, all the items described in this piece have been observed. Like burying the original story-did Netanyahu receive intelligence from Egypt which he ignored? I do wonder though about the need to report news in a conclusive rather than developing manner and the reader expectation. Almost all TV with the exception of sports, and news are series entertainment shows. The public is very used probably habituated to installments of information that may or may not conclude in a resolution. Additionally, could not running a series of stories seeking to discover the truth of a particular situation or event create a compelling reason for ongoing readership? Could subscribers newly amplified desire to read accurate reporting allow for an ongoing story which describes the known and unknown? There are plenty of things to report that are definitive, I believe there is room for developing stories. I too agree that curative journalism is the only way forward for the dynamics of time currently and for the future. Thank you again for the illuminating article and free journalism course.
In war, everybody lies. Why would lying be beyond he pale once killing has been decided? I go right to cui bono. I ask myself, why would Israel target *buildings" at random, knowing the torrent of criticism that will ensue? I believe that the IDF does target Hamas, not civilians. But (and) I also think Seth is onto something when he suggests that municipal infrastructure might be mixed in with military targets: Using the DC analogy, hit the Mayor's office along with the DC National Guard.
Why are there Iron Dome missiles in the air? Because Hamas chose war three weeks ago. Why did Hamas do that? Because of "the occupation," a term which has two senses: Israel's existence is an occupation, according to Hamas; and the cordon Israel has established around Gaza is an occupation. The former I blame on Hitler; the latter I blame on Hamas and other radical Islamist and Palestinian nationalist groups who persisted in blowing up Israeli buses and firing rockets into Israel.
Israel ceded Gaza to the Palestinian Authority as a transition to a Palestinian state, one of two states in a two-state resolution. Hamas has pissed all over that effort. They'll be damned if there will be two states of them is Israel. They want Israelis to die and Israel to vanish.
I reluctantly support Seth's 10 point proposal for the short term: I'm not sure Hamas will allow civilians--human shields and propaganda assets--to leave. In the longer term, I ask myself who can govern Gaza. Hamas cannot be allowed to do that; Israel is out of the question. Fatah, maybe. Maybe the UN should administer Gaza, employing a peace keeping force selected from countries like Egypt and Jordan.
I have only read the preface so far, but how can you say US major media was careful when Israel was proclaimed the cause within mere minutes of the blast?
Hi Sandy, because major media at no point proclaimed Israel the cause of the blast. Not minutes after it; not a day after it; not now. This issue is covered in the report.
Thank you, Seth! This was amazing (albeit a bit long, but that's your method and style). I was able to find the necessary nuggets to understand the situation more fully. Please keep up the great work that you are doing! I think, overall, from Al Jazeera to BBC, journalists are doing a decent job right now. It's very challenging. Not to be a bummer, though, I really do believe that, no matter how accurate and right-thinking the journalists are, the tides of history have turned and that we are headed towards global warfare on a grand scale. In terms of the United States, this may or may not help Biden, but frankly, I am not hopeful. Nevertheless, there's a chance that the serious press, good journalism, and intrepid historians will set us free in the long run.
Robert, I share your fears. Thank you so much for the kind words.
KWL. What I know before the first read of your phenomenal article is to seek truth from passionate and forthright independent journalists and educators. I want to know why so many people choose to be only subjective. I learned that “partisanship is not objective.” For that reason, I am formally declaring my party affiliation to independent.
Thank you for sharing your hard and spellbinding research. We cannot build trust without truth, without seeking truth. We cannot build trust without saying I am sorry and will you forgive me. Honest leaders know that.
Hi Seth, a forensic analysis much appreciated. Sorry, my editing brain wants to let you know a typo: left leaning not learning. Apologies for the pedantry.
Fixed, thanks!! :-)
Israel has lied many, many times in the past about everything from its bombing of Palestinian hospitals and mosques to the fact that during Operation Cast Lead in early 2009, the IDF used Gazan civilians as human shields to determine whether buildings were rigged with explosives.
I never believed anyone other than Israel bombed Al Ahli Hospital.
Experience with Middle East history has taught me one thing: never trust the IDF explanation
This report is far too long to have the impact that it deserves.
If you could publish the key findings about the IDF disinformation campaign into a separate story, then it could be more widely shared and, more importantly, more widely read.
As it stands, the truth is buried deep in the text and I fear will never be heard or read by enough people to matter. This is important work. It needs to be more accessible.
I wrote an executive summary. I am afraid I cannot shape my work to fit a PR campaign. If someone else wants to do so, that is fine. I am a journalist, not a propagandist. I cannot package my work as though its chief aim is persuasion rather than memorialization. I am a researcher and a chronicler, not a politician.
Thank you for this Labour of love, truth, transparency and history. It matters, well done.
Seth seldom disappoints
After careful thought I want to thank you Professor for this excellent analysis. The discrepancy of the *timeline* is especially a factor, and the fire registration round days before. Forensics and facts outweigh emotions
What is at issue here is jumping to reporting as 'facts' without the appropriate vetting. Had the approach of the original reporting been "this thing happened. Teams (we) are investigating", there would have been no issues. Thanks for your detailed analysis and ensuring the truth is reported, once confirmed, Seth. We are desperate for credibility and reliable news and appreciate all you are doing on that front.
I admire you, Seth, both for your honest and moral stance, and for the lengthy in-depth curatorial reporting. Thank you for helping us know how to think about this ongoing horror.
I appreciate the way you laid out everything, step by step, and piece by piece.
incredible reporting but TOO LONG my friend, so few will read it all. give the gist of the story near the top, so many more will get it. Those that want to FULL version will still read it all.
I wrote the executive summary so that those with the patience for four paragraphs only have something to chew on. At some point I just have to rely on readers to cite the sections they deem most important in the places they think those excerpts will be most useful.
Thank you, Seth.
No sooner had I read this article than a meme showed up on my feed from a friend relating to the vast amount of fuel Hamas is hording. When I searched for the fact check I found articles from every major media publication including foreign publications. The only source for the information cited was IDF. As I read the news yesterday I noticed subtle shift to a pervasively pro-Israel slant and it occurred to me that you recognized this movement as it was developing. As a matter of fact, all the items described in this piece have been observed. Like burying the original story-did Netanyahu receive intelligence from Egypt which he ignored? I do wonder though about the need to report news in a conclusive rather than developing manner and the reader expectation. Almost all TV with the exception of sports, and news are series entertainment shows. The public is very used probably habituated to installments of information that may or may not conclude in a resolution. Additionally, could not running a series of stories seeking to discover the truth of a particular situation or event create a compelling reason for ongoing readership? Could subscribers newly amplified desire to read accurate reporting allow for an ongoing story which describes the known and unknown? There are plenty of things to report that are definitive, I believe there is room for developing stories. I too agree that curative journalism is the only way forward for the dynamics of time currently and for the future. Thank you again for the illuminating article and free journalism course.
In war, everybody lies. Why would lying be beyond he pale once killing has been decided? I go right to cui bono. I ask myself, why would Israel target *buildings" at random, knowing the torrent of criticism that will ensue? I believe that the IDF does target Hamas, not civilians. But (and) I also think Seth is onto something when he suggests that municipal infrastructure might be mixed in with military targets: Using the DC analogy, hit the Mayor's office along with the DC National Guard.
Why are there Iron Dome missiles in the air? Because Hamas chose war three weeks ago. Why did Hamas do that? Because of "the occupation," a term which has two senses: Israel's existence is an occupation, according to Hamas; and the cordon Israel has established around Gaza is an occupation. The former I blame on Hitler; the latter I blame on Hamas and other radical Islamist and Palestinian nationalist groups who persisted in blowing up Israeli buses and firing rockets into Israel.
Israel ceded Gaza to the Palestinian Authority as a transition to a Palestinian state, one of two states in a two-state resolution. Hamas has pissed all over that effort. They'll be damned if there will be two states of them is Israel. They want Israelis to die and Israel to vanish.
I reluctantly support Seth's 10 point proposal for the short term: I'm not sure Hamas will allow civilians--human shields and propaganda assets--to leave. In the longer term, I ask myself who can govern Gaza. Hamas cannot be allowed to do that; Israel is out of the question. Fatah, maybe. Maybe the UN should administer Gaza, employing a peace keeping force selected from countries like Egypt and Jordan.
I have only read the preface so far, but how can you say US major media was careful when Israel was proclaimed the cause within mere minutes of the blast?
Hi Sandy, because major media at no point proclaimed Israel the cause of the blast. Not minutes after it; not a day after it; not now. This issue is covered in the report.
So, an intentional war crime is back in the table. Hmm.