The Media's Crucial Role Amidst the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By: Abbie Ahn

In the tumultuous landscape of modern politics, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict stands as a key example to the power of the media in a political issue. As the conflict rages on in the Levant, media continues to play a crucial role in how people perceive the conflict as well as sending aid to those directly in the midst of the ongoing crisis.

Firstly, the easy access that everyone has to the internet has created a space for citizens to become journalists and share their own firsthand accounts, which include images and videos on platforms such as X (better known as Twitter), Instagram, and Tiktok. Because many of these sources are primary sources–or at least seem to be–people are much more willing to believe these claims. According to the Pew Research Journal, at least 53% of the people on X get their news there, while 49% of those on TikTok receive their news there. While citizens and those who are not professional news reporters or journalists may have true insight on certain topics, this grassroots level of reporting, while providing a potentially unfiltered perspective, creates leeway for fake news and over exaggerations to escape.

Specifically, around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it has been hard to differentiate truth from falsehood, as many direct sources in Gaza have been cut off in a total blackout. The New York Times states that, “...more than two million… [have been] cut off from the outside world amid an escalating Israeli ground operation and relentless bombardment”. While a conflict like this one may be hard to take a political stance, it becomes even more impossible when your sources are limited. To form a opinion based solely on the information that is coming out of Israel, or from a singular news source, would not be the most reliable, since everyone may tell the same story slightly differently.

As the media plays a crucial role in the political sphere of this day and age, the media also lends itself as a resource in tougher times. On TikTok, many people have created filters that help raise money for those who are stuck in Gaza. In early November, 27-year-old AR creator, Jourdan Johnson, uploaded a filter to generate funds for the people in Gaza. Using TikTok’s Effect Creator program, all funds made from the video go to charities helping those in Gaza. As Johnson’s filter rose to popularity, many others released filters in support of Palestine and Gaza. Through something as simple as dragging a watermelon across the screen, you are able to help get money to those in Gaza who truly need it.

Despite your opinion, it is undeniable that the internet has become a place to express your opinions, however that may be. From fears of fake news to TikTok filters that generate money to donate to those in Gaza, the internet continues to find new ways to change the space around political issues, exemplified in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the end, it is up to you to choose your opinion, your stance, and how you view such a conflict. The only advice that others may choose to impart upon you is that you should try to educate yourself to the best of your ability. In a time of moral dilemma and uncertainty, as the internet is able to provide both a battleground for opinions and a safe space that creates aid, it is up to every individual to seek knowledge before creating a well-informed opinion that can be backed not only by fact, but by history as well.

Sources:

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/16/world/middleeast/gaza-blackout-fuel-shortage.html

https://time.com/6335577/watermelon-filter-for-good-tiktok-gaza-aid/