Kia ora TVNZ,
In the introduction to the news item on Israel’s war on Palestine the presenter talked about an Israeli military operation in the “West Bank”. The item went on to show an overseas report with video pictures of Israeli troops in action and video of an Israeli government spokesperson who talked about the need to counter armed terrorist groups who were funded and armed by Iran which he alleged wanted to open an eastern front against Israel. Following later were pictures of a Red Crescent worker saying the bombing reminded him of what is happening in Gaza.
My complaint relates to:
- The seriously misleading use of the term “West Bank”. Under international law and in the view of the successive New Zealand governments it should be described as the “occupied West Bank” (ie occupied by Israel) and since last month’s International Court of Justice ruling it should be described as the “illegally-occupied West Bank”.
- The report focused on Israeli narratives, Israeli reasoning, Israeli justifications, Israeli propaganda with nothing from the Palestinian side to put this issue in perspective. If they were allowed to do so on TVNZ news the Palestinian side would say something like:
- the armed Palestinian resistance groups who were the targets of the Israeli incursion are fighting against the illegal occupation of their land by Israel.
- They are fighting ethnic cleansing, violence, murder and mayhem conducted by Israeli settlers with the backing of the Israeli army.
- They are fighting for freedom and self-determination.
- Under international law they have the right to take up arms to fight for their freedom. On the other side the Israeli army has no right to wage war against a people living under its military occupation.
The TVNZ news item presented an inversion of the truth. The victims are blamed for resisting an oppressive racist, apartheid regime (all these adjectives come from last month’s ICJ ruling) In this way the TVNZ report was inaccurate, unbalanced and unfair.
We are familiar with the argument than no single news story can cover all aspects of Israel’s occupation of Palestine but that over time people get a balanced view from a range of news reports. We reject this argument outright. The news item presented tonight was typical of the vast majority of TVNZ reports from Israel’s war on Gaza over the past year.
We look forward to your response without unnecessary delay.
Nā,
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Which comes first Media prejudice or society prejudice?
I believe society prejudice and power and the need to make a profit drives the media bias.
Politics is the same.
Serve the majority prejudice and win .
The 2023 election in NZ was based on serving majority White prejudice nothing more nothing less.
As for the issue in Gaza. Well it is quite simple and a little research shows the truth.
Britain stole the land now known as Palestine as a victory trophy after WW1 in 1919.
Jews illegally invaded these lands in 1948 backed by Britain and supported by France.
Since 1950 the USA has armed and backed the Jews illegal invasion occupation and subjugation
of the Palestinian people.
The West supports the USA military base in Israel which now dominates 400 million Muslims.
The West also demonises Hamas the Palestinian freedom fighters.
Yet the West opposes the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and supports the Ukraine fight for freedom.
Racial Religious and political selective hypocrysy at its worst.
So we cant blame the media really.
Because deeply ingrained prejudice, ignorance and power and the small matter of making a profit
out weigh providing balance.
This is simply how Kiwis roll.
Nothing new.
True, but there are other ideologies at work too, not least the western/christiansed idea of “Israel” as ‘God’s chosen people’ and the implications of that belief. The legacy of this idea is very strong in NZ and much stronger in the USA
True about beliefs but don’t discount the ability of money to subvert. For example Zionist interests own the US Congress.
On a historical basis Palestine has been invaded by Crusaders supported by Western money. When the Portuguese rounded the Cape the Levant trade dried up, the money stopped as did Crusader states. Stop the money, no Israel.
LOL the Jews have been there for 3,000 ++ years so who’s the invader again?
The who? Which ones? Do some reading before throwing stupid statements about.
What weird history you reading? Open your mind and read more and deeper.
Israel is not only winning the war; it is now clearly also winning the propaganda war.
When the mainstream TV News relegates its update on Gaza to a 20 second clip after the sport section you know that Israel can do pretty much as they like and get on with finishing the job.
Israel may be winning the propaganda war with ignorant westerners but that will be no help when the inevitable division within Israel will create such a conflict that their very existence will be threatened.
Andrew please read Lobbying for Zionism on both side of the Atlantic, Ilan Pappe’s book you might learn a thing or two.
“….video pictures of Israeli troops in action and video of an Israeli government spokesperson who talked about the need to counter armed terrorist groups who were funded and armed by Iran which he alleged wanted to open an eastern front against Israel.”
Do TVNZ journalists and presenters have no shame?
That Iran is the big bogey man behind the Palestinian resistance, is a mischievious planted misdirection that is being repeated by our unquestioning mainstream media hacks as the justification for the genocide in Gaza and now in the Israeli occupied West Bank.
That Iran is behind the Palestinian residance is an unsubstantiated Zionist conspiracy theory, that is used by Israel, (and TVNZ) to justify the colonial project of genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people from their homes and land.
The Palestinian popular resistance is not cauised by Iran. it is caused by Israel.
Palestinian resistance is an indigenous rebellion against aparthied, against land theft, against house demolitions, against abitrary detention without trial, against Israel’s assasinations of Palestinian politicians, leaders, artists and poets.
Israel is the outside force that fuels this rebellion, not Iran.
Palestinian resistance will continue until Israel’s brutal fascist style occupation and subjudgation and ethnic cleansing ends.
Hi John,
Let us know the response to your complaint to TVNZ
‘Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return’ : W H Auden 1937
Maybe some of you pro Palestinian commenters can explain to me why Egypt refuses to open its boarders to Gaza.
I thought they were brother Muslims. I was under the impression that many came from Egypt.
That’s an easy answer to a shallow question. Why should any nation be forced to take millions of refugees? Egypt has its own economic issues and you propose to dump people on them? Would NZ take masses of Palestinian refugees?
It might be a shock to the Israeli and conservative Jewish cabal if protests and mourning vigils are held for the sad Israelis and Jews outside, who are being forced to remain clandestine about their disagreement with the vicious retaliatory violent and deathly genocidal attacks on Palestinians.
After the awful mechanised abbatoir treatment of so many Jewish people not only by German Nazis but across Europe in WW2, the recovery to a saner world, of survivors and those encouraged to flee to Israel from other countries indicating similar attitudes, has led to an opening for preaching similar callousness amongst many Israelis.
Now the whole of Israel is being brutalised under the aegis of old men who use war against Palestine as a base foundation to unite the country and prevent dissension as treasonous. Margaret Thatcher did the same in the United Kingdom with the Falkland war. It is so sad to see Jewish people, who seem to be the most sensitive and intelligent of modern society being unable to bring their perceptions to the fore enabling moves to cease from this primitive tribal and unwinnable conflict.
Whatever happens, the Jews have already lost credibility for nobility; the paradox is if they win the war, demolish the Palestinian homeland, resistance and corporeal possession, the Jews will be damned and possessed by guilt, which heretofore has been placed on the world post WW2. It will be a new burden for them to have to seek absolution from their God. Or do they attempt to justify it as retribution to cloak themselves with to avoid self-censure? And on what basis should the Palestinians bear the full weight of this horror?
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