Representation of Israel and Palestine Issue in International Media: An Analysis of BBC and Al-Jazeera coverage in 2022

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how the Israel-Palestine conflict was portrayed in the worldwide media, with a focus on how the BBC and Al Jazeera reported death figures while distinguishing between terrorists and civilians. It also looked at how these publications framed Islam and Muslims and contrasted how they covered the Israel-Palestine conflict. With a focus on the year 2022, specifically, this study included both qualitative and quantitative content analysis. Print Media selected as population and through purposive sampling two newspapers Al Jazeera from Qatar (a Muslim country) and the BBC from the UK (a non-Muslim nation) were chosen as sample of study. Four units of analysis were used in the study: "Image of News," "Sources," "Number of Militants," and "Number of Citizens." The study analysed BBC and Al Jazeera articles using qualitative and quantitative content analysis, classifying them according to how the war was portrayed, the sources that were quoted, whether or not militants and civilians were included, and how the events were presented. The war was extensively covered by the non-Muslim press, with the BBC serving as an example. However, the news was presented as an attempt at peace by the Israeli military. Al Jazeera, on the other hand, gave an objective account that emphasised the everyday toll that Israeli military activities take on innocent Palestinian people. The results point to the need for more impartial and balanced reporting of the Israel-Palestine conflict in worldwide media outlets, one that takes into account the hardships that both parties must endure.