written by Mona abuamara
Similar to the Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba), Palestineophobia -The fear of Palestine and anything Palestinian- has deep historical roots in Western Mainstream media, including in Canada. This phenomenon did not start on October 7th, 8th or 6th but has persisted for many decades. For over 76 years, fair presentation of the Israeli-Palestinian “conflict” meant largely ignoring and even rationalizing the premeditated carnage of annexation, forcible displacement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide of men, women and children the Palestinians had to endure. Today, the list of ruthless systematic atrocities suffered by the defenceless Palestinians under Israel’s prolonged illegal settler colonial occupation and apartheid is endless.
In the West, “neutrality” has meant promoting the oppressor’s narrative as the trusted go-to discourse amid turmoil and chaos. Granting Israel the privilege of acting as the prosecutor, the judge, & the Jury over the occupied and the oppressed. Even when caught red-handed, Israel is favoured for the role of the investigator of its crimes.
Recent examples, such as the assassinations of the Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the American Turkish activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, serve as a tragic reminder of that injustice and impunity.
Israel targeted both brave women in cold blood in broad light and in the presence of numerous witnesses, yet no one was held accountable for their brazen murders.
Why does such a flagrant lack of accountability go unchallenged? It appears that the answer lies in the constraints of mainstream media. When it comes to Palestine and in an effort to avoid backlash and repercussions, countless journalists, producers, and reporters have described being pressured to adhere to certain”guidelines” and refrain from discussing certain topics or inviting certain “blacklisted” guests who would challenge the status quo. Palestinians have not been offered equal standing in Western media, not in their rights, aspirations, or even humanity. They are either portrayed as villains or reduced to charity cases, causing them to suffer decades of silencing, erasure, dehumanization, and Antipalestinianism.
Following October 7th, Western Mainstream media dedicated itself to supporting its steadfast ally. Television Networks had live feed for a week or so until no new info about Israeli casualties could be found. Everything had been covered, including heaps of what turned out to be Israeli propaganda and disinformation crafted to justify the intent of genocide that was about to befall the defenceless Palestinian population. A population already trapped, tortured and forgotten by the “free world” for almost two decades in the largest open-air prison in the world, Gaza.
A green light was given to Israel on October 7th – not for “security or self-defence” but to take revenge. The free world embraced Israel’s conviction that Israelis’ well-being depended on Palestinians’ demise and, more importantly, that Palestinian lives were far less worthy to than that of Israelis. As days turned into weeks and then months, little to no Western media agencies saw fit to show its people actual beheaded babies, imputations performed with no anesthesia on the old and the young, bodies hanging down from carpet-bombed buildings, and bodies of children starved to death, and corps on the streets being eaten by stray animals. Why? Some journalists claimed that the reason was that videos coming from Gaza couldn’t be “verified!”
The lives of all civilians are significant, and the loss of any civilian of any nationality is a tragedy. Yet, it had become evident that western media’s live feed was not deemed necessary or appropriate when it came to broadcasting Israel’s unhinged acts of incitement, war crimes, and crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people in the days, weeks and months that followed. No one was interested in telling or showing the whole truth surrounding the premeditated, organized Israeli crimes even when its genocidal officials and occupation forces, and terror extension (the settlers) proudly documented committing them.
In reality, Israel did not hide its intention to prevent the world from witnessing the truth firsthand. International journalists were expelled from Gaza, and Palestinian journalists were slaughtered in cold blood – 182 journalists and counting—a verified reality left unopposed and unmentioned in this selective-integrity-based Western media atmosphere.
“The Palestine exception” has been shaped by the fundamental refusal of the West and its liberal democracies to apply universal principles of human rights values and principles to Palestine and its people. You find that “Exception” in the application of international laws, human rights laws, international humanitarian law, and the implementation of the “international rules-based order.” A dreadful testament to “The Palestine Exception” can be seen in assigning the term “terrorism” to the killing of Israelis while perceiving the slaughter of Palestinians as inevitable “collateral damage” in the pursuit of Israel’s “self-defence and security.” the only concern was how many Palestinians are allowed to die to achieve Israel’s “justified” goal.
Over a year has passed, and the question remains: How many is enough to satisfy that thirst for revenge? How many is enough for the free world to step in and end this grotesque injustice?
After serving for more than two years in Canada -completely shunned by its mainstream media- suddenly, I was bombarded with interview requests, but with one disturbing trend. “Do you condemn?” a question that overshadowed Palestinian blood splattered on the walls and Palestinian bodies scattered over the roads. It was a question whitewashing the starvation of children to death and the kidnapping, rape, and torturing of political prisoners till their last breath.
It rationalized demolishing schools, universities, hospitals, churches, mosques, shelters, and bakeries. It gave an excuse for Israel’s use of Water, food, and medicine as a weapon of mass destruction.
“Do you condemn?” a question that aimed at blaming the victim, “the Palestinian people,” and paid no heed to their pain, agony, and despair for who they are and who their oppressor is justifying the genocide being committed against them.
Why, might you ask? It’s a simple question of yes or no. Well, over 400 days later. After, tens of thousands of Palestinians were slaughtered, and thousands more are still under the rubble after more than a year of live-streamed Israeli-made genocide. After tens of reports by international organizations and international courts condemned the genocide and Israel’s actions against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, demanding it put a stop to the atrocities. And after 100s of millions have marched and chanted against the injustice, not once was an Israeli Ambassador asked, “Do you condemn?”
Palestine is a noun that might cost you a lot when used in the West. If you are in the media, government or even education sectors, you must tread carefully and know exactly what you can and, more importantly, can’t say when discussing the “conflict.” On top of the list of taboos is the word Palestine.
It’s the “West Bank and Gaza”; it’s “Israel and the Palestinians.” it’s “The Palestinian Territories.” Those are the approved adjectives to describe Palestine in liberal democracies that affirm their support for the two-state solution but, interestingly enough, have only been able to pronounce the name of one!
So, Why is Western media Palestineophobic?
Because the oppressor’s actions rely on narratives that dehumanize their victims, portraying them as threats and aggressors unworthy of empathy. This narrative not only justifies the oppression but also absolves those complicit in supporting and shielding it. Humanizing the oppressed inherently demands accountability, leaving no excuse for the support of the tyrant over its victims.
Western media is Palestinophobic because it does not want to show the pain and resilience that the Palestinian flag flutters proudly. It refuses to dignify the Palestinian Kuffiyeh because it symbolizes the connection Palestinians had and forever will to their historic homeland. It denies genuine representation of the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom, liberty and fundamental human rights because that struggle carries a stark reminder of failure, prejudice, and double standards of the “Free World,” its values and its principles.
Western media is Palestinophobic because Palestine is a battle of the truth.
