US media focuses on embassy opening in Jerusalem amid bloodbath in Gaza
Usually, the death of more than three dozen protesters anywhere in the world is something US media would be interested in — but it seems that old journalism maxim ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ may not extend to Palestinian blood.
On a day that has seen 52 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces amid historic protests, US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan has said the decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem will be a “magnificent tribute to peace” — and it seems American media aren’t in the mood for questioning.
The US mainstream media has been less than keen to cover the Palestinian deaths, instead deciding to focus on the opening of the new embassy.
Dozens of Palestinians slaughtered by the Israeli state as the US government celebrates in Jerusalem is as repulsive a sight you'll ever see - but the truth is Palestinian lives matter little, they are low in the hierarchy of deaths, and the outrage will be muted.
— Owen Jones🌹 (@OwenJones84) May 14, 2018
Want to see how far US shamelessness can go? Look at the coverage of the U.S. Embassy opening in Jeruslam:- Trump policy exacerbates situation- Palestinians protest- IDF kills 37 Palestinian protestors- US Media: "Palestinian violence leads to dozens of deaths"
— Benjamin Dixon🌹 (@BenjaminPDixon) May 14, 2018
As news was breaking of the deaths of scores of Palestinian protesters at about 9:30 am EST, most US channels opted to show pictures from the feed at the new US Embassy instead of footage from the historic protests where more than 2,400 protesters — including 74 women and 23 children — have been injured in the most violent day of the six-week long Great Return March.
Fox News was particularly uninterested, barely making a mention of the violence in Gaza. CNN too focused more on the embassy opening than on the violence, but did show headlines about the numbers killed in the violence.
MSNBC, perhaps the most anti-Trump news channel, showed a split screen — one side showing pictures from the embassy while the other one showed the protests and admitted that there was a certain mockery to words of peace from US officials while protesters were being killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
As for print, the New York Times, among others, was criticized by media analysts for using toned down language in order to avoid assigning responsibility for the deaths to Israeli forces.
The headlines from America’s most cherished newspapers on what’s going on right now in Gaza are despicable. THIS IS NOT A CLASH. Look up that word. It’s what happens when two equal forces collide. Israelis have shot 800 Palestinians. Not one Israeli injury has been reported.
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) May 14, 2018
Palestinians are never killed, they just “die”. (via @nytimes) pic.twitter.com/zSmzVuNCrd
— Jacobin (@jacobinmag) May 14, 2018
reminder that snipers from one party shooting unarmed people from another party 100 meters way isn’t a ‘clash’ https://t.co/kUUlVIsCtm
— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) May 14, 2018
US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has infuriated Palestinians who see the eastern part of the Holy City as their rightful, independent capital.
The move, which US officials claimed would be a contribution to peace , has no doubt exacerbated tensions in the region significantly. Palestinians see the US decision as a clear indication that the US backs Israel in the conflict.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said the US move was a “slap in the face” and that Washington can now no longer be regarded as an honest broker in any peace process.
Most western media outlets have become quite skilled - through years of practice - at writing headlines and describing Israeli massacres using the passive tense so as to hide the culprit. But the all-time champion has long been, and remains, the New York Times. #HaveDiedhttps://t.co/rNkdz4yA5c
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) May 14, 2018
