Don't Trust Media Outlets That Fail to Distinguish Between Terrorists and Victims of Terror

Israel has recently suffered a series of terrorist attacks killing over a dozen innocent civilians, culminating in the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv during which three people were murdered. It should not be difficult to compose a headline and write a story accurately describing the way that Arab/Islamic terrorists are targeting Jews. Unfortunately, many mainstream media outlets portray a distorted and twisted series of events that fail to even mention the word terrorist: 

The headlines on several mainstream news sites and agency articles about the deadly terror attack in Tel Aviv Thursday night appear shockingly biased against the Jewish state...

ABC News reported Thursday’s incident with the heading: "Tel Aviv nightspot targeted in fatal shooting amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions"--no mention of a terrorist, as is the case with other mainstream news reports, including in Reuters, AFP and AP.

For instance, "Israeli forces kill Palestinian gunman after Tel Aviv bar attack" was the title given by Reuters, one of the world’s largest news agencies.

The title given by The Guardian, however, was especially outrageous: "Israeli forces kill Palestinian after Tel Aviv shooting leaves two dead."

Indeed--who did the shooting?

This kind of bias in favor of Arab/Islamic terrorists and against Jewish victims of terrorism is despicable and disgraceful, but it is not new: in Newspaper Headline Downplays Terrorist Attack Against Jews While Focusing on the Death of the Terrorist, I described the way that many media outlets routinely minimize antisemitism even when that antisemitism culminates in murderous violence, and I concluded, "There is a larger issue that goes beyond one headline, namely the systematic, deliberate, and widespread effort by media members, academics, and self-proclaimed 'progressive' activists to rewrite Jewish and Israeli history in a way that transmogrifies the Jewish people from persecuted minority to racist oppressors, and libels Israel as an 'apartheid state' as opposed to being the only democracy in the Mideast. This effort, which has gained power and influence in recent years, can only be successfully defeated by people who are armed with historical truth, and who are unafraid to speak that truth even during an era when speaking truth can result in ostracism." 

The only way that we will be provided accurate media coverage is if we demand such coverage. Take note of which media outlets are unwilling or unable to eliminate antisemitic bias from their reporting, and stop buying their newspapers/magazines. If a media outlet cannot figure out the difference between terrorists and victims of terror, and instead focuses negative attention on those who are fighting against terrorism why would you pay any attention to their coverage of any event or story? Don't trust people who lie, and don't trust media outlets that lie are simple but effective guidelines.