Assal Rad Accuses US Media of Legitimizing Israel’s War in Gaza and Attacks on Journalists

American historian Assal Rad has accused US media of echoing Israel’s narrative of the war in Gaza, arguing that its coverage helped legitimize what she describes as genocide and the targeting of Palestinian journalists.

Rad’s criticism centers on how American media framed Israeli actions. She contends that news coverage repeated the Israeli account rather than holding it to scrutiny.

She also pointed to headlines that avoided explicitly naming Israel as the actor responsible. In her assessment, this framing obscured responsibility for the actions being reported.

Rad argues that these editorial choices were not merely a matter of wording. She sees them as lending legitimacy to Israeli crimes in Gaza, including attacks on journalists covering the war.