Citation

Ismail A. Journal. Stud. 2009; 10(2): 253-267.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/14616700802337750

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigates the construction of Palestinian political violence in US news within the second Palestinian intifada, using Arafat's death as a key moment. It sheds light on the role of media as critical public informants about political violence by examining such elements as labels attached to violence and how these elements speak to ideologies embedded in the news concerning the Palestinian struggle for state. News articles were chosen from selected regionally diverse US newspapers that are among the top 50 US circulating papers. Textual analysis indicated that news distinguished between Palestinian violence and the Palestinian cause. The death of Arafat was reported with both recognition of his relevance to the cause and some degree of sympathy for the Palestinian plight. The news, however, did not go so far as to legitimate -- much less celebrate -- Palestinian violence geared to statehood. Also, journalists attributed “terrorism” exclusively to Palestinians, thereby delegitimating Palestinian violence as a means of resistance.