Inside look at Israeli media
(Video) As Israel continues to be shown in negative light via international media, Leadel and partners seek to bring some new light to this ongoing problem
The panel was held at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) campus in Herzliya. The three panelists included Arad Nir, head of foreign news desk and international commentator at Channel 2, David Horovitz, editor-in-chief of Jerusalem Post, and Marcus Sheff, executive director of the Israel office for the Israel Project – an NPO that aims to supply journalists with accurate information concerning Middle East affairs.
The panel was broadcasted live on the web and was moderated by Leah Stern, IDC faculty member and former English news anchor in Israel. The panel was hosted by Leadel, a media hub aimed at improving Israel's international image via various media outlets.
The first question went to Arad Nir, asking about his experience as an Israeli journalist covering stories abroad and if he felt he has been treated differently in the international journalist community.
“As an Israeli journalist unfortunately I am denied access to many events,” mainly in the Arab world, Nir noted. He said, however, that this was not always the case, and on a professional level there is a mutual respect amongst journalists.
“I have friends from al-Jazeera, al-Arabiya, and some Iranian news networks… they don’t necessarily want to be seen with me in public" but they remain friendly at events.
'Narrative that blames Israel for all problems'
When asked about the effects the internet has had on the Jerusalem Post, Horovitz spoke of the dramatic increase in readership and the "need for accuracy" due to the high speed of the Internet. He also noted the importance of context, which he believes people living in Israel have of the conflict, but that readers abroad may not. “Without context, you can’t understand the news," he said.
On the topic of international interest, Marcus Sheff noted that “research in London shows that there is actually a disengagement from the Middle East… London elite quite frankly are not interested.” He also said that the conflict has become “a narrative that blames Israel for all of the problems of the Palestinians.”
He criticized the foreign press for intentionally seeking out extremist sources in the Israeli population in order to create an extremist Jew vs. Palestinian scenario.
When asked who is to blame for Israel being the 'bad guy' in the media, the panel's response was unanimous. “This is, I think, a failure upon the foreign media” said Sheff. Horovitz agreed and took the topic a step further by criticizing Israel's decision to keep foreign journalists out of Gaza during Operation Cast Lead: “I think it’s a terrible thing. Journalists should be allowed free access" to cover a story.
The men agreed and disagreed on the various topics proposed to them, but one thing was clear: they believe Israel's image in the media needs to change.
The web broadcast of the panel can be viewed at Leadel.Net .
