Framing genocide : a comparative analysis of Israel-Palestine news coverage through peace journalism lens
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This study examines how major U.S. and Middle Eastern news outlets frame Israel's military campaign in Gaza through a peace journalism lens. Using content analysis and textual analysis of 96 articles from the Washington Post and Al Jazeera English, the research analyzes coverage of three pivotal events following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023: the initial attack, the bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and Israel's ground invasion of Rafah. Findings reveal significant differences between outlets, with the Washington Post predominantly employing war journalism framing characterized by elite-oriented sourcing, a focus on immediate violence, and limited historical context. In contrast, Al Jazeera English presented a more balanced approach with almost half incorporating peace journalism elements such as historical contextualization, non-elite sourcing, and solutions orientation. The disparities in coverage suggest that geopolitical contexts and editorial orientations substantially influence media framing of international conflicts, with Western media coverage often aligning with U.S. foreign policy interests. The study demonstrates how traditional war journalism framing remains dominant in Western coverage of Israel-Palestine and argues that incorporating more peace journalism elements could provide audiences with a more complete and humanizing picture of complex conflicts. This research offers a framework for evaluating and potentially improving journalistic practices in covering war and violence.
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M.A.