How do other country's media portray the middle east?

**Saturday Fever** · 08-09-2002 12:27 PM

In the American media, anytime you read or hear about the trouble in Israel/Palestine, you always are given the story that Israel is extremely small and everyone is packed together (which is untrue), and that the Israeli government is bending over backwards to help the Palestinians (which they aren't) and that the Palestinians are just blood-crazed maniacs bent on war (which is untrue as well.) So my question is to folks outside of America. Is your media as biased towards Israel in this matter?

It just irks me that Israel has been and can be as brutal as they are, flat out lie to their own people about it, and then be covered by the media as "the innocent victims who only want to help make peace."

I think Bill Clinton probably antagonized the situation when he tried to convince the Palestinians to accept desert wastelands and former toxic dumping grounds scattered discontinuously throughout Israel to form the Palestinian state on. Of course, they said no and ruined Clinton's proposed "legacy" so he passed it off as "We offered them all they want and more and they rejected it."

**hemants** · 08-09-2002 12:57 PM

The Canadian and British media offer what I would consider a more balanced coverage of the middle east conflict.

That being said, there's no such thing as bias free coverage. All you can really do is take a look at a diverse set of sources and then unspin them all to determine your best guess at the truth.

But that doesn't mean that you can achieve this by watching CNN AND ABC AND NBC.

That's like saying "I listen to both kinds of music, country AND western" LOL.

**Reinier** · 08-09-2002 02:21 PM

dutch media was always pretty israeli supporting but has become more neutral and at times even pro palestine...

dont know why

**Relentless** · 08-09-2002 02:29 PM

Canadian media is not nearly as balanced at the BBC.

Our media may be slightly better than the US, but not by much.

**big** · 08-09-2002 02:45 PM

very pro palestine.

**Gyno Rhino** · 08-09-2002 02:46 PM

There is a reason that most media are a little pro-Israel. Because Israel is JUSTIFIED. **** all of you that don't think so. (There have been many many long long long threads on the topic, this will not be one).

**hemants** · 08-09-2002 02:51 PM

Discussions on justification and morality will lead to 100+ posts and namecalling. That is not very useful.

What is interesting to discuss is not whether Israeli's or Palistinians are doing the right thing, but whether they are taking actions will lead to peace or whether they will lead nowhere.

While I believe that Israel IS justified in taking a heavy handed approach to control suicide bombers, I also believe that such an approach without a strategic end game has only served to make the situation worse.

**Saturday Fever** · 08-09-2002 02:56 PM

So you would be in the camp of people who are buffallo'd by the media. Let's put this into a different light...

The government comes to your front door and says, "Hey you have to give Mr Fever half of your house, and if you don't like it, we will shoot you." So to avoid death, you let me have half of your house. However, the government also gave me weapons and other devices that are far superior to anything you have. And one day I decide I would like all of your house, but I will let you live in the smallest room as long as you do exactly what I say. In the meantime, I don't allow you to attend school, I impose curfew on you, and anytime you get out of line I beat you severely. And if you have kids, let's just say I killed one because he "looked like he was going to break the rules." Now you could sit there and take my abuse and control quietly, and I will continue to dominate you and treat you badly and maybe kill more of your children. Or you can start causing problems at the house. Problems large enough for neighbors to see. large enough for the whole neighborhood to take notice.

It's sad to see people so blindly behind either side simply because of media portrayal or personal religious beliefs.

**Saturday Fever** · 08-09-2002 02:57 PM

While I believe that Israel IS justified in taking a heavy handed approach to control suicide bombers, I also believe that such an approach without a strategic end game has only served to make the situation worse.

It is/was Israel's heavy handed approach to Palestinians that led to the suicide bombers. Therein lies the problem. Both sides are wrong, but one side is backed by the school bully.

***edit: Sorry, off track, I'm just curious how different country's medias portray events.

**Gyno Rhino** · 08-09-2002 03:57 PM

I will delete this thread if it becomes an Israel/Palestinian discussion. I'm sick of seeing the same squabbles and bullshit that plays out over there in the Middle East get played out on our boards. If you wanna discuss it civilly, keep it to PMs or start a new thread about it.

**Saturday Fever** · 08-09-2002 04:28 PM

Like I edit/posted, I apologize for taking it off the subject, my idea was just to get an idea how the different medias are covering it.

**Gyno Rhino** · 08-09-2002 06:58 PM

Medias are biased. However, American media doesn't portray the Israeli forces as the "good" guys all the time.

**Rock** · 08-10-2002 07:48 AM

the Israeli forces can shoot a 8year old kid walking with his father, and then say it was an accident or necessary, thats the difference between isreal and palestine, its something that has to be done, israel can live long and good on that, they also got the money, palestine dont, case closed.

**Black_Curtain** · 08-10-2002 05:20 PM

Ooooh, I just love it when you smart guys simplify things. Without getting into any further arguement, I invite every WBB member to stay in my house in ISRAEL as much as he wants, learn what it's like when you see people pray before going on the bus - hoping not to be the unfortunate ones who died in a suicide bomb, then express second opinion about the conflict.

Every media is biased and unbalanced, wanna learn the facts? come here to Israel, then go and live in Gazza.

THEN EXPRESS YOUR ******* OPINION. THEN YOU HAVE THE ******* RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT IS JUST AND WHAT IS NOT.

Until then, don't DARE to think you are less biased then media.

As for the question - media here in Israel is obviously biased, but not as one sided as you may think. When 15 family members of a terrorist died while bombing his house, the newspapers discussed the event for days calling it "outrageous" etc.
People who control the media here are actually left wingers.

**Accipiter** · 08-10-2002 09:04 PM

Originally posted by Saturday Fever
So you would be in the camp of people who are buffallo'd by the media. Let's put this into a different light...

The government comes to your front door and says, "Hey you have to give Mr Fever half of your house, and if you don't like it, we will shoot you." So to avoid death, you let me have half of your house. However, the government also gave me weapons and other devices that are far superior to anything you have. And one day I decide I would like all of your house, but I will let you live in the smallest room as long as you do exactly what I say. In the meantime, I don't allow you to attend school, I impose curfew on you, and anytime you get out of line I beat you severely. And if you have kids, let's just say I killed one because he "looked like he was going to break the rules." Now you could sit there and take my abuse and control quietly, and I will continue to dominate you and treat you badly and maybe kill more of your children. Or you can start causing problems at the house. Problems large enough for neighbors to see. large enough for the whole neighborhood to take notice.

It's sad to see people so blindly behind either side simply because of media portrayal or personal religious beliefs.

**Accipiter** · 08-10-2002 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Saturday Fever
So you would be in the camp of people who are buffallo'd by the media. Let's put this into a different light...

The government comes to your front door and says, "Hey you have to give Mr Fever half of your house, and if you don't like it, we will shoot you." So to avoid death, you let me have half of your house. However, the government also gave me weapons and other devices that are far superior to anything you have. And one day I decide I would like all of your house, but I will let you live in the smallest room as long as you do exactly what I say. In the meantime, I don't allow you to attend school, I impose curfew on you, and anytime you get out of line I beat you severely. And if you have kids, let's just say I killed one because he "looked like he was going to break the rules." Now you could sit there and take my abuse and control quietly, and I will continue to dominate you and treat you badly and maybe kill more of your children. Or you can start causing problems at the house. Problems large enough for neighbors to see. large enough for the whole neighborhood to take notice.

It's sad to see people so blindly behind either side simply because of media portrayal or personal religious beliefs.

RIGHT on man.

yet on the same hand, palestine never wanted the land until they were told they couldn't have it anymore

**Shane** · 08-10-2002 09:31 PM

Originally posted by Black_Curtain
Ooooh, I just love it when you smart guys simplify things. Without getting into any further arguement, I invite every WBB member to stay in my house in ISRAEL as much as he wants, learn what it's like when you see people pray before going on the bus - hoping not to be the unfortunate ones who died in a suicide bomb, then express second opinion about the conflict.

Every media is biased and unbalanced, wanna learn the facts? come here to Israel, then go and live in Gazza.

THEN EXPRESS YOUR ******* OPINION. THEN YOU HAVE THE ******* RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT IS JUST AND WHAT IS NOT.

Until then, don't DARE to think you are less biased then media.

As for the question - media here in Israel is obviously biased, but not as one sided as you may think. When 15 family members of a terrorist died while bombing his house, the newspapers discussed the event for days calling it "outrageous" etc.
People who control the media here are actually left wingers.

With all due respect to your situation, sometimes the people who have the least biased and the clearest view are on the outside. The least biased (there's no such thing as unbiased) opinion will come from the person who has the most accurate information but the least self-interest in the situation. Stating that would be similar to me stating I would know what is best to do about the WTC attacks if I were an American and lived in New York city. Of course, you have to live day to day in a far more dangerous situation just as the Palestinians do and, regardless of whether the threat is justified or not, no truthful answer is going to be simple and no simple answer would make sense. It's not right you have to live under that threat, but military action isn't going to solve it unless you kill all of the Palestinians and even then it might not stop it.

Originally posted by Accipiter

RIGHT on man.

yet on the same hand, palestine never wanted the land until they were told they couldn't have it anymore

This is untrue.

The sad thing is Palestinian and Israeli leaders seem to be full of hatred and distrust and not at all interested in peace unless the other side is annihilated.

**Black_Curtain** · 08-11-2002 02:37 AM

I feel people here are ignorant about the conflict and how thing are really are. Rough handed actions is a very relative term, esp. when you compare it to other countries fighting Muslim terror (USA bombing civilian houses in Afg., Russia destroying Chechnian villages on daily basis, Yugoslavia murdering masses of people). When you think what can Israel do, how can it eliminate the whole PA in a heartbeat - and you compare it to what is really done, then you can comperhend how much self control we have.

Remmeber media is always driven by other interests. There are as twice as rich and powerful Arabs than Jews. Remmeber the AntiSemism that still exist in Europe.
There is no way you can get the information objectivly unless you come to the area, and experience this war on your own meat. Then, you have the FUKING right to come and preach how bad is each of the sides.
It is so damn easy to come and share your outside opinion, relying on what you heard or some video someone recorded and you see - living this reality is as twice as hard.

tuttut tuttut tuttut tuttut

Shane, as for your statement - there was a long period of time, sometimes like an year and a half ago, where there were terror acts that we didn't military respong too - they just kept coming. Terror acts are not a respond for anything as you may think, but a cruel way to change our minds about the conflict issues - read: putting pressure on us so we would give up on principles.

**Natural Animal** · 08-11-2002 03:27 AM

Nuke the middle east, they have lost the plot for the last 4000 years.

**Rock** · 08-11-2002 06:34 AM

Black_Curtain, I am not judging you as an Israeli, but I dont like the occupation or the Israeli leaders, I also dont like muslims in general, because of their women degenerating policies, and the Hamas groups are bloody terrorists, I am not taking either part, but shooting at kids trowhing rocks does isnt fair, and suicide bombs isnt fair either, so its pretty impossible to solve this situation, the best thing for us who live in the west is to neutralize every muslim nation in the world, but that wouldnt be to cool for them.

**Gyno Rhino** · 08-11-2002 07:33 AM

This will get locked down if people throw insults. It's a warning. Be nice and I won't bitchslap you through the computer.

**Black_Curtain** · 08-11-2002 07:55 AM

Rock, what you have just said proves that the information you have is wrong. I have many soldier friends who served in latest operations in the PA area - and believe me - they go to jail, for a very very long period of time if they disobey an order, in this case avoid using live fire on people who are no risk for your life. Those who throw rocks aren't even being shot with rubber bullets, because of the risk they will get harmed. Don't get me wrong, Israeli soldiers aren't anyone's suckers - if someone fires them, they will react, but the laws against hurting civilians are VERY clear.
As for the occupation, I will just direct you to history books and advice you to read abit who started which war and what areas belongs to who

I think that the best for one who is interested in this conflict to read abit of history. Get information about how many died of each side, how many of those who died are civilians and how many are terrorist, learn abit about the Oslo agreements, read the K'orean to learn religous motives involved. Then, he can come and discuss about what is needed in order to solve the situation, and which of the sides is wrong. I am not trying to patronize over anyone, I am just saying some of the things that were said here are false\simplified.

**Reinier** · 08-11-2002 08:55 AM

<--- palestine supporter

**Rock** · 08-11-2002 09:02 AM

I have read many a articles on the subject, written by jews, arabs, whites, I know what I am talking about, but Centaurion is a freaking expert about this, he should write something in this thread when he comes back.

Anyways I just hope the west wins.

**Gyno Rhino** · 08-11-2002 09:04 AM

Rock, what would you do if Sweden sent suicide bombers into Norway?

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