In the wake of the war in Israel, everyone is trying to stay up to date on current events in Israel. However, with the many news outlets all presenting differing views, it is hard to know where to get accurate information. We want a clear, unbiased and factual source that gives a real representation of people’s experiences during the war. Even more complex is the fact that people have different opinions about what they think is unbiased, based on factors like where they live and their religion and connection to Israel as well as social status.
Dr. Aizenstein, a member of the Jewish History department of Beth Tfiloh, expressed that, “everything has some bias” and it is therefore impossible to interact with a perfect news outlet. Instead, we need to improve at picking out what information is reliable by working on our critical thinking skills. She says that in order to get an accurate sense of what is going on, we should look at multiple perspectives, whether right leaning, left leaning, or neutral, and those made by large corporations as well as on-the-ground reporting by civilians. Israeli news outlets are some of the best places to get your information from, according to Dr. A. When asked about which in particular, she responded, “one of the first [sources] that comes to mind is Times of Israel.”
Ariella, a teenager living in Israel, further upholds the importance of multiple sources. When asked if American news sites like CNN, FOX and ABC represent Israeli lives accurately, she responded: “everyone is different” and is impacted emotionally and physically by the war.. She said that people interested in following news in Israel should also keep up with firsthand accounts and make sure to check in with their friends and family in Israel to see how the war is affecting them. This will expose you to perspectives that are perhaps not reported on by most outlets. They should watch Israelis of all ages on social media to get sufficient accounts of what is happening and support them by making them feel remembered.
In conclusion, everyone needs a wide scope of viewpoints and opinions, to gain an accurate understanding of the war. It is impossible for any account to be completely unbiased, but by listening to many sources and using critical thinking to differentiate between fake and real news, we can put together the most factual picture. We should specifically listen to people living in Israel as well, to learn about aspects of the war that are often overlooked.
