HonestReporting's Digital Diplomat Series: Defending Israel Against Claims of Excessive Force. This slide show examines Israel's media image as an aggressor using excessive force against the Palestinians. Too often, the media fails to distinguish between Palestinian aggression and Israeli self-defense. Media coverage often gives the impression that Israel initiated violence when in fact Israel was responding to a Palestinian provocation. In the slide show, we identify three ways that the media makes Israel appear to be the aggressor in the conflict with the Palestinians: 1. Reporting on events out of order. News headlines often give the impression that Israel initiated violence when in reality, Israel was responding to violence against civilians initiated by Palestinian terrorists. 2. Leaving out context. The media often fails to report essential information that leaves people unable to understand the rationale behind Israel's policy or actions. 3. Framing the news in terms of Israeli aggression. Reporters often speculate about how Israel will respond to violence, placing an aura of aggression around Israel even before Israel acts. We hope that the information in our slide show will help Israel's Digital Diplomats recognize how the media distorts the news and how to speak out against these distortions whenever they appear. The Digital Diplomats program provides advocacy training and information to help people become effective advocates for Israel. Please share our materials with anyone who could benefit from them. Thank you from the team at Honestreporting.com.

1. DIGITAL DIPLOMATS SERIES
from HonestReporting.com

2. DOES ISRAEL USE
EXCESSIVE FORCE?

3. Some people
think so.
DOES ISRAEL USE
EXCESSIVE FORCE?

4. WERE THESE PEOPLE
INFLUENCED
BY ONE OF THE
GREATEST POWERS
IN THE WORLD TODAY?

5. (The Mass Media)

6. OK, not direct mind control.
But the media does influence
– and distort –
the way people think.

7. WHEN
TERRORISTS
ATTACK
ISRAELI CIVILIANS
THE MEDIA
DOWNPLAY
THE INITIAL AGGRESSION.

8. WHEN
ISRAEL
RESPONDS
THE MEDIA EMPHASIZE THE
RESPONSE
AND IGNORE
THE TERROR.

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

10. 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 conflict

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

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

13. 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.

14. after militants fired mortar shells
Five Times as many People Read
Headlines as Read the Body Copy
DAVID OGILVY, MARKETING MAVEN
retaliation for

15. WHEN THE TIMELINE
IS REVERSED,
IT CREATES THE
IMPRESSION OF A
“CYCLE OF VIOLENCE”
AND
ALL VIOLENCE IS DEEMED
MORALLY
EQUAL.

16. In reality,
there is
no cycle.
Terrorists openly
declare an intent to
kill civilians
and Israel tries to
protect its citizens.

17. after militants in the Hamas-controlled
territory fired rockets into southern Israel.
Studies Reveal: Stories that Distort
the Timeline are Everywhere
HONESTREPORTING

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

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

20. Do you think
of this?

21. Or this?

22. The Media Often
Report on the
Gaza Blockade

23. But it doesn’t tell you
the whole story.

24. Does the media ask
why there is a
blockade in
the first place?

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

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

29. 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 conflict from
one between Israel and the
Palestinians, or Israel and
the Arab world... to one
between the rest of the
world and Israel.”

30. The media
said the
flotilla
brought
tons of aid
to Gaza.
Expired Medicine Unloaded Off Gaza Flotilla

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

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

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

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

35. 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

36. 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:

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

38. FALSE
ACCUSATION:
Israel is moving
“closer to war”

39. 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.”

40. 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.

41. We’ve seen how the media
can influence public
opinion against Israel.

42. But you can help
set the record
straight.

43. 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

44. Demand:
ü Accurate timelines
ü Appropriate context
ü Factual reports

45. Join the conversation:
• Get weekly media bias alerts at
www.honestreporting.com
• Join our network on Facebook
and follow us on Twitter
• Watch our films on YouTube
A single person can’t make a difference,
but a network of thousands can.

46. Don’t let
the media
distort
Israel’s
image.
Make your voice heard.
DIGITAL DIPLOMATS SERIES
from HonestReporting.com

47. Thank you for getting involved.
DIGITAL DIPLOMATS SERIES
from HonestReporting.com
All content, unless otherwise noted, is copyright
© HonestReporting, and may not be modified 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/cobaltfish
10. Wikim. Commons/Truman_Chicago_Tribune/public domain
11. Flickr/20090213-time_flies/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