Stark variance in coverage of IDF flotilla probe
13 July 2010
British reporting of the findings of an IDF probe into the events on the Mavi Marmara on 31 May reflected the trends revealed in Just Journalism’s comprehensive report, ‘Gaza flotilla raid: Media presentation of Israeli video evidence,’ which illustrated tendencies in some publications to downplay evidence which supported Israel’s version of events.
The main findings of Maj. Gen. (res. ) Giora Eiland's internal military probe, which were made public yesterday - although the full 100-page report was not released - focused on intelligence gathering, alternative planning and the execution of the raid, admitting ‘mistakes’ but not ‘failures’.
Eiland praised the conduct of the commandos who had boarded the ship, citing:
‘the very professional and courageous way that the Israeli commandos behaved on this ship because they found themselves in a real immediate danger to their lives.’
He pointedly stated that this aspect ‘should be emphasised’ and immediately proceeded to reveal that the probe had concluded the following:
- At least four instances of passengers shooting at soldiers
- One instance of a commando being shot with a non-IDF gun
- Passengers firing the first shots
All of these claims – which had represented the main points of focus for much of the media reporting - were strenuously denied by passengers and their supporters in the aftermath of the raid. However, despite the fact that the report largely exonerated the commandos from wrongdoing, The Guardian and The Independent did not give this aspect prominence.
For example, ‘Israel blames poor planning and intelligence mistakes for flotilla disaster,’ by The Guardian's Harriet Sherwood, did not discuss these points until the second half of her article (or the very end of the print version), instead prioritising a quote from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which ‘said the report attempted "to whitewash the Israeli military's crimes on the Mavi Marmara"’.
In a near identical approach, The Independent’s Donald Macintyre inserted the same Palestine Solidarity Campaign quote before discussing the report’s crucial claims pertaining to who fired first and with what weapons. ‘Flotilla deaths were a 'mistake', says IDF report’ also continued to treat the fact that a violent minority of passengers attacked soldiers using knives and poles as merely an Israeli claim, despite video evidence of this being available since the day of the raid.
Also in keeping with prior reporting of the flotilla incident at The Independent, the Middle East correspondent referred to the Israeli report’s ‘narrative’, which is noteworthy given that this same term has never been applied by the same journalist, or The Independent more generally, in relation to The Goldstone Report which criticised rather than supported Israel.
In total contrast, The Times emphasised the findings which were de-prioritised in the other broadsheets. ‘Israelis made mistakes but Gaza aid flotilla was armed, general says’ by The Times’ James Hider and Alexander Christie-Miller led:
‘An Israeli military investigation into the fatal raid on an aid boat bound for Gaza found that mistakes were made in the intelligence gathering and decision-making processes but it also accused activists of firing at the boarding party.
‘“We have evidence there was at least one weapon on the ship before we arrived,” said retired Major-General Giora Eiland, who led the military inquiry. He said that there was good reason to believe that the first shot was fired by someone on board when Israeli commandos abseiled from two helicopters on to the Mavi Marmara.’
A quote from the IHH, rejecting the findings of the probe, appeared at the end of the article, after the key contentions of the report had been discussed.
The Daily Telegraph, whilst notably not including the details of pre-existing weapons on board and shots fired, nonetheless reflected the thrust of the report, which, whilst acknowledging ‘mistakes’, ultimately defended Israel’s actions.