Traditional media in North America and Europe has been biased towards Israel (Alkhawaldeh and Alserhan). Studies conducted on the words chosen by CNN (Rahayu et al. 11; Alkhawaldeh and Alserhan), the New York Times (Günay), The Guardian (Günay), CNBC (Alkhawaldeh and Alserhan) and BBC (Alkhawaldeh and Alserhan) have concluded this pro-Israeli bias.
This bias has been enforced by editorial committees and external pro-Israeli forces. In April 2024, the Intercept leaked a memo from the top editors at the New York Times. This memo instructed journalists to avoid using words like ‘genocide’, ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘occupied territory’ when writing stories about Palestine (Scahill and Grim). Traditional journalists have also faced severe censure for expressing pro-Palestinian views. Marc Lamont Hill, a journalist at CNN, gave an address at the UN where he used the words “A free Palestine from the river to the sea”. His words were explained through the lens of Israeli interpretation, and he was fired (Gizbert). Zahra al-Akhrass, a journalist for Global News, was fired for expressing pro-Palestinian views on her social media. She was asked to remove any posts addressing any politician, and that use hashtags like #freepalestine, #gazaunderttack and #gazagenocide. She asked for a detailed list of posts Global News wanted deleted, but the request was denied, and she was fired (Basu). Yara Jamal from CTV (Israel National News), Emily Wilder from the Associated Press (Al Jazeera), and Antoinette Lattouf from ABC (Lam) were also fired for expressing pro-Palestinian views. Since traditional media were overtly biased against Palestinian perspectives, it left a vacuum that was filled by social media. In particular, pro-Palestinian activists used X (Twitter) as a platform to voice their perspectives.
Thesis: Palestinians have successfully used X to broadcast their own experience, critique traditional media and respond directly to Israeli propaganda.
Broadcasting Their Own Experience
Palestinians on X can broadcast their experiences directly to Western audiences without the pro-Israeli filter often found on traditional media platforms. In December 2015, a video of the sixteen-year-old Ahed Tamimi confronting IDF officers was uploaded on X (then Twitter). The IDF had shot her 15-year-old cousin in the face with rubber bullets earlier that day (“Palestinian girl charged”). The next day, the video of her arrest was also posted on X.This video gained immense traction on X, and Ahed Tamimi became a symbol of the Palestinian resistance (Yarchi and Ayalon 125). Viewers could sympathize with her emotions and with the image of a young child standing up to armed soldiers.
Fig. 1. “16 yo Palestinian girl Ahed Tamimi slaps Israeli soldier.” YouTube, uploaded by Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, 16 Dec. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=plt5rEa5TZU.
On May 11, 2022, Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh was killed. Israeli authorities immediately blamed Palestinian militants. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted out an unsourced and edited video. The availability of contrary videos and audios posted on social media played a significant role in proving the fabrication of the original video, and the claim was debunked.
Since October 2023, Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza (Livni). Citizen journalists have been the only way for Palestinians to have their voices heard and challenge Israeli propaganda. While Eastern newspapers like Al Jazeera have been more willing to engage in social journalism by verifying citizen reports, western publishers have been less likely to do so (Alakklouk and Gülnar 88). Citizen journalists like Besan, Hind Khoudary and Motaz Azaiza have been crucial in this.
Critiquing Traditional Media
Traditional media outlets have accounts on social media which they used to disseminate news and market their platforms. For example, the New York Times has 55 million followers. Since social media pushes these outlets to engage in interactive journalism, it opens the door for X users to criticize how traditional media represents this conflict.
A common complaint is that when Israeli atrocities are reported by traditional media, the name of the perpetrator is often omitted.
Fig. 2. Son of Dan [@tahoeace]. “Who killed them Sky News? The suspense is too much.” X, 22 July 2025, 3:39 PM, https://x.com/tahoeace/status/1947682937031492057.
The defenders of this practice often say that the headline might exclude the word Israel, but Israel has been mentioned in the article’s body. This response is not valid because the body of many articles is buried behind a paywall. Studies have found that six in ten Americans do not explore an article beyond the headline (American Press Institute and Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research 6).
Another common practice is to actively edit headlines in traditional media. Accounts like @Assalrad commonly do this.
Fig. 3. Assal Rad [@AssalRad]. “Israel is the reason they’re struggling for water, Israel killed children fetching water. But no mention of ISRAEL.” X, 1 Aug. 2025, https://x.com/AssalRad/status/1945660647519461805.
Responding Directly to Israeli Propaganda
On traditional media, pro-Israel voices usually present their propaganda with no contest. On platforms like X, this propaganda can directly be responded to.
For example, Dr. Eli David published this viral picture of a Muslim soldier praying alongside a Jewish one in order to Muslim-wash Israel’s aggression.
Fig. 4. Dr. Eli David [@DrEliDavid]. “Israeli 🇮🇱 Jewish and Muslim soldiers praying side by side. And they’re coming for you, Hamas terrorists.” X, 6 Nov. 2023, 11:30 PM,
Users were quick to indicate that this picture is inaccurate because Muslims normally do not pray with sunglasses because they will need to prostrate on the ground. Muslims never pray in boots.
Fig. 5. أم Sultan [@Omsultan1313]. “Praying with his boots on and sunglasses don’t mix. -prayers101” Twitter, 7 Nov. 2023, 7:55 AM, https://x.com/Omsultan1313/status/1721798605760086023.
These interactions force the public to see both sides of the arguments and challenge the single view the Western public has been portrayed by traditional media.
Conclusion:
X has given Palestinians and important platform to share their stories, challenge traditional media and counter misinformation. This has shifted the public opinion in the West and has forced some analysts to conclude that Israel is losing the battle for public opinion (Boot).
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Academic References:
American Press Institute and Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The Media Insight Project: The Personal News Cycle. American Press Institute, 17 Mar. 2014, www.americanpressinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The_Media_Insight_Project_The_Personal_News_Cycle_Final.pdf. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Alakklouk, Bader, and Birol Gülnar. “The Impact of Citizen Journalism in News Coverage of the Israeli Attacks on Gaza.” South Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, vol. 4, no. 4, 2023, pp. 76-100. DOI: 10.48165/sajssh.2023.4404.
Alkhawaldeh, S. K., and F. A. Alserhan. “War of Terminologies in Israeli and Western Media: A Critical Media Discourse Study of Israel and Gaza War”. International Journal of Arabic-English Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, June 2025, pp. 21-40, doi:10.33806/ijaes.v25i2.691.
Günay, M. A. “International Media Framing of the Palestinian-Israeli War.” Turkish Online Journal of Design Art and Communication, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, pp. 526-542. https://doi.org/10.7456/tojdac.1615156.
Rahayu, Dini Septyana, Ida Susilowati, and Roziqk Heally Huzaeny. “Constitutive Interests in CNN Media Framing and Instagram’s Shadow Banning Related to Israel’s Aggression against Palestine 2023-2024.” Salam: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Syar-i, vol. 12, no. 1, 2024. https://journal.uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/salam/article/view/43861. DOI: 10.15408/sjsbs.v12i1.43861.
Yarchi, Moran, and Amit Ayalon. “Fighting over the Image: The Israeli − Palestinian Conflict in the Gaza Strip 2018 − 19.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, vol. 46, no. 2, 2020, pp. 123–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2020.1751461.
Non-Academic References
أم Sultan [@Omsultan1313]. “Praying with his boots on and sunglasses don’t mix. -prayers101” Twitter, 7 Nov. 2023, https://x.com/Omsultan1313/status/1721798605760086023.
Assal Rad [@AssalRad]. “Israel is the reason they’re struggling for water, Israel killed children fetching water. But no mention of ISRAEL..” Twitter, 1 Aug. 2025, https://x.com/AssalRad/status/1945660647519461805.
Basu, Brishti. “‘Chilling effect’: People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school.” CBC News, 22 Dec. 2023, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/chilling-effect-pro-palestinian-1.7064510.
Boot, Max. “Israel is winning the ground war but losing the battle for public opinion.” The Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/20/israel-gaza-hamas-war-global-opinion/.
“CTV Fires Reporter for Anti-Israel Comments at Halifax Rally.” Israel National News, 31 Oct. 2023, www.israelnationalnews.com/news/379247. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
“‘Disgraceful’: AP Slammed for Sacking Reporter amid Palestine Row.” Al Jazeera, 22 May 2021, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/22/disgraceful-ap-slammed-for-sacking-reporter-amid-gaza-war. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Dr. Eli David [@DrEliDavid]. “Israeli 🇮🇱 Jewish and Muslim soldiers praying side by side. And they’re coming for you, Hamas terrorists.” Twitter, 6 Nov. 2023, https://x.com/DrEliDavid/status/1721671384869273622.
Livni, Ephrat. “News Organizations Urge Israel to Let Reporters and Aid Into Gaza.” The New York Times, 27 July 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/07/27/world/middleeast/gaza-starvation-reporters-israel.html.
“Palestinian girl charged after slapping soldier on video.” BBC News, 1 Jan. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42535685.
Son of Dan [@tahoeace]. “Who killed them Sky News? The suspense is too much.” Twitter, 22 July 2025, https://x.com/tahoeace/status/1947682937031492057.
Scahill, Jeremy, and Ryan Grim. “New York Times to Journalists: What You Can’t Say on Gaza War.” The Intercept, 15 Apr. 2024, https://theintercept.com/2024/04/15/nyt-israel-gaza-genocide-palestine-coverage/.
Gizbert, Richard, host. “The Six Words That Got Marc Lamont Hill Fired from CNN.” The Listening Post, Al Jazeera, 9 Dec. 2018, www.aljazeera.com/video/the-listening-post/2018/12/9/the-six-words-that-got-marc-lamont-hill-fired-from-cnn. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Lam, Lana. “Antoinette Lattouf: Australian Broadcaster Unlawfully Fired Journalist.” BBC News, 15 May 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4exrwj8pjo. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Sheikh Abdullah Ayaz Mullanee is a scholar from the Greater Toronto Area. He is passionately involved in several initiatives around Toronto and is regularly invited to speak at youth and community based events. Shaykh Abdullah currently teaches at Khairul Ummah Academy and Mathabah Institute while conducting online classes for Lubab Academy’s Arabic Language program. He is also the editor in chief for ‘Bridging The Gap’, the official magazine for the Canadian Council of Muslim Theologians.
This was just what I needed. Thank you for explaining
it so clearly!