The fourth edition of the International Media and Islamophobia Forum was held in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Thursday. The event, organized by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), spotlights media coverage of stories about Islam and Muslims.
Dr. Batuhan Mumcu, deputy Culture and Tourism Minister, who was among the speakers of the event, said it was significant that the event's theme this year was "Gaza." The forum brings together academics, experts and dignitaries from around the world to discuss countering the anti-Muslim mindset and raise awareness of media practices on the matter.
Since the start of a new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel found widespread support from governments of Western countries and media while the public rallied against Israel across Europe and the United States.
Mumcu said the media and Islamophobia issue gained momentum in importance as the media was "an instrument shaping societies, an instrument that can contribute to social peace and understanding when used correctly." "Misuse of the media or media adapting a prejudiced viewpoint, unfortunately, are being turned into one of the most influential tools to spread Islamophobia, discrimination and prejudice," he said. He noted that the media can steer social understanding toward building bridges between cultures and faiths and in the fight against Islamophobia. Along with its power, it has a responsibility.
"Conflict between Israel and Palestine is not a merely political matter now. It has a cultural and religious aspect to it. Yet, the Western media tackle this issue from an Islamophobic viewpoint, contravening the principles of neutral, unbiased journalism. This erroneous approach warps the reality, deepens the conflict and obstructs the path to peace," he stated. "For instance, the cruelty, the occupation Palestinians are exposed to is linked to 'terrorism' while the media adapts warmer rhetoric while covering Israel's acts. The majority of the Western media try to legitimize the actions of Israel by constantly portraying Palestinians as radical Islamists and terrorist groups and by portraying them inhumanely," he said.
Türkiye strictly opposes Western countries branding Hamas as a terrorist group and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insists that they should be defined as a resistance movement against Israeli aggression. Türkiye is also among the main advocates of a two-state solution with a future independent Palestinian state to resolve the conflict.
"Palestinians are ordinary people, but the media do not fairly cover their struggle for their rights. By doing so, (the media) drives them further to radicalization," Mumcu said. "Western media's Islamophobic discourse while tackling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is against the principles of journalism and harms the ways of solution to the conflict. News presented in a way rather detached from neutrality manipulates public opinion and blocks the way to genuine peace," he stated.
"The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is about the dignity of humanity and basic rights. Children are being killed there. Houses are being demolished and people are being deprived of their basic needs. Gaza has been home to numerous civilizations throughout its history and hosted different cultures. Nowadays, it is associated with conflict and suffering. Correctly conveying the regional humanitarian drama is necessary for respecting human rights," he said. Mumcu noted that mediation efforts between Israel and Palestine were important steps for lasting peace and referred to multiple calls by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a solution based on principles for "a fair and permanent peace." "We call on our friends to act with common sense and sympathy in these difficult times, to urge the sides to engage in dialogue. This is the only venue for peace and justice and for building a future that mankind's dignity deserves. As bureaucrats, academics, diplomats and representatives of media and nongovernmental organizations, we should not remain quiet in the face of the humanitarian drama in Gaza," he said. Mumcu said that the international community should do more to achieve peace and stability in Gaza. "Platforms like this Forum are an opportunity to raise awareness of this issue and to find solutions," he added.
Mumcu stated that everybody had a responsibility to fight Islamophobia and defend peace and justice. "The Media's power should be effectively used to raise awareness in societies, to bring people together and trigger globally positive developments. We have to adhere to universal values like human rights, justice and peace rather than Islamophobia and anti-Semitism."
Bias in coverage of the Palestine-Israel conflict surfaced most recently in a report published in the United Kingdom. The "Media Bias Gaza 2023-24" report released earlier this month by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM), an arm of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), revealed that most British TV channels overwhelmingly promote "Israel's right to defend itself," overshadowing Palestinian rights by a ratio of five to one. "In broadcast TV, Israeli perspectives were referenced almost three times more than Palestinian ones. It was almost twice as much in online news," it noted. The report also said the media used "emotive language" to describe Israelis as victims of attacks 11 times more than Palestinians, while 76% of online articles framed the conflict as an "Israel-Hamas war" and only 24% mentioned "Palestine/Palestinian," indicating a lack of context.
