The coverage of the clashes in Jerusalem and the rocket fire that followed has focused disproportionately on Israel’s actions, either on the airstrikes that occurred or the threatened evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and clashes in al-Aqsa Mosque.
This may not be surprising, but it also has helped frame the current conflict as largely a product of Israel’s alleged aggression, as opposed to a cycle set in motion by Hamas.
The most anti-Israel coverage, unsurprisingly, is in the Iranian and Turkish media. Iran and Turkey both support Hamas.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, a state-run news agency, has about a dozen stories on Israel, and each is more anti-Israel than the last. One says Israel has killed 24 civilians, and another says Israel arrested Arabs who protested in Jerusalem and reports about “Israeli attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Ankara has stoked protests against Israeli diplomatic posts in Turkey, even though the regime has prevented other protests, such as the recent May Day ones.
Turkey uses the COVID-19 pandemic to shut down all critics, but then it encourages anti-Israel protests, the flames being fanned by pro-government media. Turkey has vowed to “defend” the Palestinians. Anadolu also says its journalists were attacked in Jerusalem.
Ankara has spoken to the Jordanian king and says Israeli forces are “storming al-Aqsa.” This is largely a fabricated story. The use of the expression “storming al-Aqsa” is used by anti-Israel voices who try to pretend that securing the Temple Mount against violent protesters is “storming.” In no other place in the world is securing a holy site “storming.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry claims that “many innocent civilians” have been killed in Gaza.
Iranian media have also emphasized the “brutal repression” of Palestinians in “al-Quds,” the Press TV term used for Jerusalem. Al-Quds is also the Arabic and Islamic term, but for major media to replace the word Jerusalem with “Quds” illustrates an agenda that is about more than just terminology.
“Palestinian resistance launched operation Al-Quds Sword as Israel kills 25 in Gaza raids,” is how Press TV says the events unfolded. This makes it seem like Hamas attacked Jerusalem with rockets in retaliation, when in fact the opposite happened.
There have been “pleas for calm as violence escalates,” says the BBC. The Guardian, however, sought to emphasize the “twenty-four dead in Gaza after Jerusalem violence spreads.”
In most of the reports, the Palestinian rocket fire – targeting Jerusalem and aiming some 200 rockets at communities around Gaza – is emphasized. The discussions of the rocket fire were often put further down in the articles or were made to seem like retaliation for something Israel had done.
“The rockets came on the anniversary of Israel’s capture of the Old City of Jerusalem and its eastern neighborhoods in the 1967 Six Day War,” NBC reported. “Explosions and air raid sirens were heard in Jerusalem after Hamas set a deadline for Israel to remove its security forces from flash points in Jerusalem and release Palestinians detained in the latest clashes.”
The Independent in the UK said: “At least 24 people – including nine children – have been killed amid a new wave of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that continued throughout the night into Tuesday morning, the Palestinian health ministry has said. The youngest victim was 10 years old, Gaza health officials told The Independent. More than 700 Palestinians have been injured since the outbreak of violence in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, including around al-Aqsa Mosque compound.”
It isn’t clear from the report that Hamas had fired any rockets until the reader gets past the first several paragraphs. The report made it appear Israel just carried out this “wave” of airstrikes, killing children, and then Hamas fired rockets. The report did note the UK had condemned the attack on Israel, however.
In the US, Fox News said Gaza militants were killed as Israel “hits Hamas.” This seemed to be one of the rare headlines that put Hamas in the title, noting the actual perpetrator of incitement and attacks on Israel.
CBS wrote: “Israel hits Gaza after militants launch rocket attack.” That headline at least explained the timeline of how this recent conflict had unfolded.
Prior to most of the coverage of the airstrikes, a lot of the spotlight has been on Sheikh Jarrah.
On social media, many have posted a video without context showing Israelis cheering at the Western Wall on Jerusalem Day as a fire rages near al-Aqsa Mosque. The video is presented in such a way as to claim Israelis are cheering attacks on al-Aqsa, when in fact the context is very different.
Scant coverage seems to have focused on the rioting in many places in Israel and the West Bank or Hamas incitement as part of the cycle.
HD Editor’s Note: Why Is This News Biblically Relevant?
It is the deep-rooted anti-Israel Bias in Nations that has stopped them from putting Iran in their place. As Netanyahu previously has stated, “If Iran’s terror proxies were firing thousands of rockets at your cities, perhaps you’d be more measured in your praise.”
Amir Tsarfati has pointed out that the rise in escalation that we are seeing currently in Israel can be attributed to the action of a failing US President that has emboldened Iran.
“I am going to say something that might sound controversial, but hear me out all the way,” Tsarfati said in an audio recording on Telegram. “What we are watching in Israel right now is directly related to the election fraud in the United States. Now, let me explain. When Biden got into office, obviously through fraud, the Iranians were very emboldened. Right now, Iran is sending its octopus arms everywhere, and they are behind what is going on here in Israel right now. So you see the connection… It is very, very simple.”
It was former President Donald Trump that stood up to Iran in the protection of Israel. He removed the United States from the nuclear deal and place stiff sanctions on the country so they would not be able to so easily fund these terror proxies that seek collectively to destroy the Jewish State.
In Genesis 12:3, God not only calls all the nations of the world to bless Israel, but He also presents a warning to those nations and people that choose to curse them: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” God will ultimately judge nations by how they treated the Jewish State of Israel (Joel 3:2).
The anti-Israel bias among the nations is also on display as they continually condemn the Jewish state for defending themselves against these terrorist organizations. Which is Israel’s right.
The tensions, specifically in Jerusalem and the temple mount, have revealed that the world is turning to reflect Zechariah 12:1-3, a prophecy which tells of a time in which Israel stands alone against global leaders salivating over dividing Jerusalem and stripping it from its God-given ownership to the Jews.
Christians (should) know better and understand their biblical responsibility toward God’s chosen people. It is incumbent upon Christians to love, pray for and stand up for the Jewish people, the state of Israel, and their eternal capital of Jerusalem. God has not forgotten His people, and neither should His servants.
Hal Lindsey In his latest article, “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem,” wrote about God’s desire for us to pray for the Jewish state and its capital.
“Reports from Israel this week reminded me of a place in scripture where God Himself makes a prayer request. Psalms 122:6 says, ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,’” Lindsey said. “Praying for Jerusalem has always made sense, but especially now.”
Lindsey then went on to explain that although a person may start praying for Israel’s eternal capital out of obedience, God will use that time in prayer to provide believers with a better understanding of His plan and love for Jerusalem and the Jewish People.
“You do it out of obedience, but then you will find yourself doing it because your heart has changed,” he explained. “As you pray, you will begin to sense God’s heart for Jerusalem, her people, and His plan for the world. That plan in many ways centers on Jerusalem. God wants you to be a part of His great plan for the ages. Praying for Jerusalem brings you into His inner circle.”
With all that is taking place, let believers stand up for the rights of Israel and pray for them during this time of crisis as ambassadors for a God and Savior who loves them and is still keeping His promises to His chosen people and nation.
