The Israel-Palestine conflict has been in discussion for several years among leaders, educators and peers. Following the recent violence in the region, such conversations are being had within NHP. This recent development in the conflict has also coincided with a drastic increase in the use of social media to document and disseminate information, raising questions about how different forms of media may impact our understanding and opinions of the situation.
“Social media is a powerful tool to spread awareness, but it can also be used to spread misinformation,” senior Safaa Mufti said. “Everyone has inherent biases towards every situation. When faced with the same message in every mainstream news source, we often forget to search for our own truth.”
A little over a century ago, the Israel-Palestine region was peaceful and religiously diverse. During that time, the concept of Palestinian identity was emerging. In Europe, the Zionist movement, which advocated for a Jewish homeland, was simultaneously gaining traction. After years of persecution, some Jewish people saw a designated ethnostate as their only way of safety. Zionists saw the Palestine region in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is roughly the ancestral hearth of the Jewish people, as the best place for establishment. After World War I, the British took control of what they called the “British Mandate for Palestine.” The British initially permitted Jewish immigration until the tension between Arabs and Jews grew. In 1947, the United Nations approved a plan to divide British Palestine into two separate states: a Jewish state (Israel) and an Arab state (Palestine). Arabs in the area were highly discontented with the compromise, and declared war on Israel in 1948, which resulted in the establishment of Israel beyond the U.N. borders. By the end of the Arab-Israeli War, Israel controlled all of the territory except Gaza and the West Bank, but this was the beginning of the decades-long conflict. Now, the recent developments in the conflict have raised questions regarding the situation as well as how it is portrayed on traditional and social media.
“I believe social media has empowered students to explore the Israel-Palestine issue through diverse sources,” social studies chairperson Mr. Galvin said. “The credibility of accurate information on social media varies widely. Students need to develop skill sets that will allow them to discern between what is accurate information and the role that bias plays in what news they are consuming. They then need to be taught how to fact-check whatever information or bias they may be coming across. I also believe that social media offers a positive platform for the younger generation to voice their perspective, which was traditionally reserved for people in power.”
The true impact of the media on public opinion regarding the conflict is reflected by demographic statistics. In a poll of those 65 or older, 87% have a lot of sympathy for the Israeli people, while 36% feel the same towards Palestinians. This statistical gap is far smaller among those younger than 35, as 61% say they have a lot of sympathy for the Israeli people, and 54% say the same about the Palestinian people. Many believe this might be due to how traditional media portrays the issue. Traditional media outlets such as broadcast channels have come under fire for their double standards regarding the conflict, such as asking Palestinian guests to condemn Hamas attacks on Israel without asking Israeli guests to condemn IDF attacks on Palestine. These double standards are also exemplified by the phrasing used by mainstream media when covering the conflict (e.g. Palestinians “die” according to media coverage while Israelis are “killed”). Usually, people of the older generation rely more on traditional media as a source of information and thus may be more prone to this bias. On the other hand, social media outlets with a younger demographic have a disparity in content bias favoring Palestine. However, experts believe that the unfiltered footage from the region available on social media may be a vital information source.
“Though previous generations were heavily reliant on mass media, our generation uses social media as our leading platform to spread information,” senior Areej Zaidi said. “I believe that this has positively impacted the way we talk about this issue because I feel that social media has allowed people to see unbiased and raw footage. It is hard to disprove something when it is right in your face, such as a video recorded and posted directly by a civilian.”
The Israel-Palestine conflict has been a longstanding issue since the very creation of the two states in 1947. Both social media and traditional media have been used as a source of information that has positively and negatively impacted how individuals discuss the issue. Many hope that people can filter the misinformation and get the correct data so that individuals can have discussions that could lead to a resolution toward peace.
