An analysis of 17 leading international media outlets finds that 77% of the legal coverage of Operation Rising Lion focused on Israel and only 23% on Iran.
A new study by the Jewish People Policy Institute, conducted using artificial intelligence tools, examined seventeen leading international news sites with exposure to more than two billion visitors last June.
The study found that during Operation Rising Lion the vast majority of legal coverage dealt with Israel – while Iran, which carried out systematic shootings against a civilian population, received almost no similar attention.
According to the data, out of hundreds of publications that dealt with the legality of the fighting, 77% focused on Israel and only 23% on Iran. The most prominent media outlets, including CNN and the New York Times, also devoted about 77% of their coverage to examining the legality of the IDF’s actions.
On Al Jazeera English, this rate jumped to 92%. The study found that the focus on Israel continued throughout 11 of the 12 days of fighting, including days when population centers, academic institutions, and the Soroka Hospital were attacked.
The researchers note that although Iran fired missiles with cluster bombs – an action prohibited by international law – the coverage focused mainly on accusations against Israel, and on the legality of the IDF’s attacks on civilian buildings and medical facilities.
It was also found that the media outlets extensively quoted Iranian officials who used “legal rhetoric” to accuse Israel, much more than official quotes from Israel explaining the legality of its actions and the illegality of the Iranian attacks.
The institute states that legal rhetoric such as “war crimes” or “violation of international law” creates a negative framing and establishes a negative image of Israel, while serving international delegitimization efforts. Therefore, the researchers recommend that Israel publish an official legal report at the beginning of each round of fighting, increase the use of legal language by state officials, and use technological tools and social networks to emphasize the legal justification for IDF actions while exposing the enemy’s violations.
Dr. Robert Neufeld, one of the study’s authors, concluded: “The findings show that there is a clear bias in media coverage: Israel is examined under a legal magnifying glass, while Iran, which has carried out systematic shootings on a civilian population, is treated leniently. A smarter use of legal rhetoric by state officials and an increased presence in the international arena are essential to the struggle for consciousness.”