Introduction
As DER SPIEGEL (Online) is still Germany’s most popular online news magazine, the latest article by Sascha Lobo [1] should not go unnoticed. Using known Israeli propaganda outlets, such UN Watch and HonestReporting (sic!), in one’s argumentation brings down the credibility of German media to new depths.
The article contains multiple distortions about Israel which are too many to analyse here. For example, although Israel has been staunchly supported by the USA as the World’s only remaining military superpower with seemingly unlimited financial, diplomatic, and military support and by multiple Western allies incl Germany, the article states that “Israel can only rely on itself” to justify Israel’s aggressive actions which have been assessed as apartheid [2], war crimes [3] and genocide [4].
Moreover, the article is using two Israeli lobby organisations as sources, incl. UN Watch, “a lobby group with strong ties to Israel” [5], and HonestReporting, “a pro-Israeli pressure group” [6], without alerting readers to this, which is totally unacceptable. Both organisations give themselves an image (cf corporate design) of being Non-Governmental (sic!) Organisations (NGOs) and are also presented as such in the article, which is misleading (cf, astroturfing).
Since publications by journalists working for DER SPIEGEL also will have to get approved by the editors, I conclude that this was no “exception” or “mistake”, but indicates that DER SPIEGEL (Online) is willing to spread Israeli propaganda without warning to its readers.
Deutscher Presserat
References:
[1] https://lnkd.in/gifgV78N
[2] https://lnkd.in/dymCcNry
[3] https://lnkd.in/dPir-3Qg
[4] https://lnkd.in/dgSU-8mB
[5] https://lnkd.in/dkzP5wwV
[6] https://lnkd.in/dm62x8Dq
Original Post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7247516381204660224-ZeOa
Question to ChatGPT
Can you read the attached newspaper article in German and rate the objectivity of the article, ie following standards of good journalism, on a scale from -10 to +10? A value of -10 means pro-palestinian, a value of 0 means objective, and a value of +10 means pro-israeli. What value does this article have?
ChatGPT said:
The article “Das Jahr nach dem 7. Oktober” by Sascha Lobo discusses several key issues related to Israel, the rise of antisemitism, and international attitudes toward Israel since the Hamas attacks of the previous year. Below is an assessment of its objectivity based on the standards you provided:
1. **Pro-Israeli Perspectives:**
– The article clearly sympathizes with Israel’s situation, highlighting that Israel is being unfairly blamed for the actions of Hamas (victim-blaming) rather than receiving sympathy as a victim of terrorism. It strongly criticizes the international community, including left-wing groups, the UN, and even Western allies like the U.S. and Germany, for their perceived inadequate support of Israel.
– The argument that Israel can only rely on itself due to widespread antisemitism and lukewarm international support underlines a strong pro-Israeli stance.
– The article also points out the need for the Iranian regime to end in order to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, a view aligned with Israeli foreign policy positions.
2. **Criticism of Opposing Groups:**
– It heavily critiques left-wing movements, labeling many as hypocritical and antisemitic, even accusing those who once claimed to oppose antisemitism of now aligning with antisemites.
– The portrayal of Islamic and Islamist influence on Western society, particularly through antisemitism, leans towards a pro-Israeli interpretation, focusing more on how these ideologies negatively impact the Jewish state and less on the broader complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
3. **Balanced Reporting:**
– The article largely refrains from addressing any criticisms of Israeli policies, particularly those related to the occupation of Palestinian territories or the treatment of Palestinians, thus omitting important aspects of the conflict. This lack of balance contributes to a skewed perspective.
**Objectivity Rating:**
On a scale from -10 (pro-Palestinian) to +10 (pro-Israeli), I would rate this article at around **+7**. While it is not entirely without nuance, the overwhelming focus on Israel’s victimization and the absence of consideration for the Palestinian perspective indicate a strong pro-Israeli bias.
Reference
[1] Lobo, Sascha (2024-10-02). Fünf bittere Wahrheiten über Israel. https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/das-jahr-nach-dem-7-oktober-fuenf-bittere-wahrheiten-ueber-israel-kolumne-a-665b9a6e-f1d1-4a20-8661-b8a2c8fc38e7
[2] http://chatgpt.com, 2024-10-03, prompted by Wilmar Igl
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English