The Mainstream Media’s Coverage of the Gaza War & Anti-Palestinian Bias w/ Dr. Assal Rad

In this powerful episode of Parallax Views, host J.G. Michael speaks with Dr. Assal Rad about the mainstream media’s portrayal of the Gaza War and the ongoing anti-Palestinian bias in news coverage. Together, they break down the key narratives shaping how the public perceives the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how media outlets like the New York Times are influencing those perceptions.

Highlights include:

• Media Bias in Gaza War Coverage: How mainstream media, particularly U.S. outlets, frame the conflict and marginalize Palestinian voices.
• Leaked NYT Memo: Analyzing The Intercept's explosive reporting on the leaked New York Times memo advising reporters on words to avoid when covering the Gaza War and how it shapes understanding of Israel's actions in Gaza.
• John Oliver’s Criticism of Gaza War Coverage: Why it’s a problem that a comedy show like Last Week Tonight is offering more critical coverage than respected news publications like the New York Times.
• The Killings of Shireen Abu Akleh & Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi: Discussing the deaths of these journalists and what it reveals about the media’s handling of violence against Palestinians and, in the case of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, an American citizen. Also noted is the fact that Eygi is not the first American citizen killed in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rachel Corrie is also covered in this regard.
• Impact of Language in Conflict Reporting: How the framing of words and phrases influences global perception and policy.
• Diversionary Tactics in Discourse Around Israel/Palestine and Gaza: The use of deflection techniques to shift attention away from criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and focus on other narratives, such as accusations of antisemitism or emphasis on Hamas.
• Conflating Criticism of Israel with Antisemitism: How framing any critique of Israeli actions during the Gaza War as antisemitism undermines genuine efforts to combat antisemitism and stifles meaningful discussion about human rights.
• Blaming Iran for the Gaza War: Why portraying Iran as the puppet-master behind the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a problematic narrative that oversimplifies the situation and distracts from the core issues driving the Gaza War. We talk about the concept of the "Axis of Resistance" in this regard and what it is and isn't.

Dr. Rad provides insight into how media bias affects public understanding of the Gaza War and what can be done to promote more balanced, human-centered reporting. This episode offers a critical examination of media coverage during one of the most significant ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.