For decades, we have seen an extreme Israeli/Zionist bias in press coverage of Israel/Palestine. Israeli hasbara (propaganda) has been the nearly universal message in mainstream media. How has that been accomplished so effectively? In what ways does the press present a dishonest and unjust depiction of Israeli oppression and Palestinian resistance?
In recent years, we are beginning to see occasional positive changes, where Palestinian perspectives and voices are heard and Israel's crimes are more honestly reported. Where are we seeing these shifting norms and how widespread are they? What factors may have contributed to changes in coverage of Israel/Palestine?
What can we do, as individuals and as a movement, to achieve more honest and justice-oriented media coverage of Israeli colonialism and apartheid and the Palestinian people's liberation struggle?
SPEAKERS:
MARIAM BARGHOUTI is a Palestinian writer, journalist, commentator, and policy analyst based in Ramallah, Palestine. She is the Senior Palestine Correspondent at Mondoweiss. Her reporting has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, Newseek, The Intercept, CNN, amongst others. Barghouti is also a policy analyst for the Palestinian think-tank, Al-Shabaka and has contributed to various books and anthologies including I found Myself in Palestine.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Barghouti obtained a BA in English Literature and Language at Birzeit University in Palestine and an MSc in Sociology and Global Change at the University of Edinburgh. She has consulted in the public and private sectors in monitoring and evaluation as well as context analysis and risk mitigation for humanitarian and development aid missions in countries such as Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as in Palestine. Her research focuses on historical relationships with social structures and hierarchies. Her political analysis focuses on the interplay between social, economic, political, and health dynamics.
LAURA ALBAST is a Palestinian-American journalist, media analyst and activist. She is currently the Senior Editor of Digital Strategy and Communications at the Institute for Palestine Studies-USA in Washington DC, as well as an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement. Her publications and appearances include The Washington Post, The New Arab, Aljazeera, Doha News, TRT World, KPFA, and other outlets.
Albast is an accomplished researcher focused on public diplomacy and media governance in the Middle East and Northern Africa. A skilled Arabic/English translator, she has contributed to dozens of projects in video, audio, and print including Bloomberg and The Nation. She obtained a BA in Political Studies and Communications from the American University of Beirut and an MA in International Affairs and Journalism from Boston University.