Complicit Coverage: Is Arab Media Amplifying the Occupier’s Narrative to Silence the Genocide in Gaza

Amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Arab media has sharply increased its coverage of Israeli affairs—political, military, security, economic, and beyond. On one level, this can offer valuable insights into the nature and actions of the occupying entity.

But on another level, it marks a troubling narrative shift or rather ‘narrative betrayal’: from exposing Israel’s genocidal onslaught to dissecting political drama — effectively sidelining Gaza and muting its suffering.

Gaza’s deliberate destruction is being silenced by endless futile analyses. The sheer volume and prominence of this coverage raises urgent questions about media priorities during a time of mass atrocities—in terms of style and content; What is being covered? Why? How? And at what cost——-—especially when lives, not just narratives, are at stake?

Arab TV channels—even those claiming to be supportive of the Palestinian cause—are increasingly crowded with analysts and “experts” on Israeli affairs, spanning a wide range of backgrounds and levels of insight. The result: much of what the Arab viewer now hears is analyses of Israeli positions, readings of the settler entity’s internal political scene, and dissection of party politics and elite discourse. Add to that the flood of translated Hebrew news and op-eds, circulated widely by news outlets, research centers, and social media platforms. So much so that an engaged Arab viewer today might recognize the names of Israeli politicians, commentators, and writers more readily than those of figures from the broader Arab world.

But what is the logic behind this obsession with the machinations of a genocidal settler entity? Why are Arab airwaves saturated with analyses of Israeli politics while Gaza is being erased in real time? What impact does this have on Arab and Palestinian public opinion—on their levels of awareness, outrage, and the will to resist? Is this ‘insight’ or ‘distraction’, and how does it shape—or distort—the thinking of Arab and Palestinian decision-makers?

With the visible narrative shift from Gaza to Tel Aviv, the real question to be asked is: In the middle of a televised genocide, who benefits from turning Arab media into a decoding desk for the occupier’s mindset?

Despite the length and brutality of the ongoing confrontation, Arab media coverage has remained largely static and formulaic—both in style and content. Day after day, hours of airtime are dedicated to a ‘theatrical’ of Israeli affairs “specialists,” echoing near-identical narratives and frameworks. Much of the translated Israeli commentary mirrors this same line—anchored overwhelmingly in the perspective of the so-called Israeli left.

The focus? A near-obsessive spotlight on Benjamin Netanyahu, portraying the genocidal campaign as a byproduct of his personal politics and clinging to power. Analysts dissect internal disagreements within the entity—between Netanyahu and elements of its military, security, and political elite—while some go as far as drawing distinctions between the occupation’s institutions and its far-right government, in the hope that highlighting these fractures might deepen internal divisions.

But the question remains: What does this narrative serve—clarity, or delusion?

The question of usefulness becomes even more pressing when we realize this media flow is entirely one-sided. Arab and Palestinian analysts—despite their sheer number—are virtually absent from Israeli TV channels, news sites, or discourse. Their commentary is neither aired nor translated into Hebrew. Israeli media rarely references Arab outlets, no matter how widely viewed—except for the occasional exclusive headline or breaking statement from resistance leaders or regional figures.

This imbalance isn’t coincidental. It stems from internal policies, media culture, and structural choices within the settler entity—realities that, while worth examining, fall outside the scope of this discussion.

What Should the Arab Viewer Really Know About Israel?

Focusing on political shifts, power players, and internal dynamics within the Israeli arena isn’t without logic. It is undeniably relevant—for the Arab public, for intellectuals, and for decision-makers—especially during a moment of genocide. Understanding the enemy, in line with the maxim “know your enemy,” is crucial.

But the real issue lies in how and how much this is being done. Flooding Arab media with near-verbatim translations from Hebrew outlets—parroting Israeli analysts and political figures to interpret the occupation’s behaviour—risks distorting the overall picture. It creates an illusion of insight while subtly centering the enemy’s narrative, even during its most brutal crimes.

This uncritical, excessive reliance on Israeli media and voices demands urgent reassessment. It risks misinforming rather than informing, especially when the goal should be strategic clarity, not narrative confusion. Key observations emerging from this flawed media approach are as follows:

1. Never Dilute the Definition: It is Genocide by a Unified Settler Colonial Entity

What’s happening in Gaza must be defined clearly and unequivocally: a genocide carried out by the Zionist entity—not just a government, not a rogue faction, but the entity as a whole. It operates as a single, integrated settler-colonial system—political, military, and security alike. The fascist government led by Netanyahu isn’t a deviation; it is the official, authoritative expression of the entity, so long as it holds power, commands a majority in the Knesset, and has full obedience from the army, intelligence services, and media apparatus. Any attempt to fragment or soften this definition is a distortion—and a service to the occupier’s narrative.

2. Israeli Aggression is Only One Piece of a Bigger, Deliberately Overlooked Picture

Yes, the internal dynamics of the occupying entity matter. But they are only one part of the broader picture—and arguably not the most important when it comes to stopping the genocide. What about the role of the Arab and Islamic world? What about international actors, or even the internal Palestinian political landscape? These arenas are just as crucial—if not more— in shaping the outcome of this genocidal campaign, yet they receive a fraction of the coverage.

Switch on the Arab world’s leading satellite channels, and you’ll see a constant parade of Israeli affairs “specialists,” anchoring prime time with endless analyses. Meanwhile, serious, sustained examination of Arab, Islamic, or international political behaviour is rare—reserved only for exceptional moments. This imbalance in coverage is not just a blind spot; it’s a blatant distortion of media priorities at a time when clarity and focus are matters of life and death.

3. Arab and Muslim Popular Response Deserves Real Scrutiny—Not Just Headlines

The actions (or inaction) of peoples, political parties, states, and regional organizations across the Arab and Muslim worlds demand far more than fleeting coverage. They require in-depth critical analyses. What are the impediments to effective solidarity? Why has pressure to stop the genocide remained weak, symbolic and/or performative? What internal and external obstacles are stalling mass mobilization or meaningful political response?

These are critical questions—but no major Arab news outlet has seriously engaged with them. Instead of dissecting the structural and political barriers to collective action, media coverage often stops at surface-level reporting or celebratory framing. What’s missing is the hard, uncomfortable work: confronting failures, mapping challenges, and exploring practical strategies to turn outrage into pressure. Without that, solidarity risks becoming a spectacle rather than a force.

4. International Power Dynamics Matter—And Arab Media Is Barely Paying Attention

In the face of weakness displayed by Arab and Islamic World, spotlighting and analyzing the behaviour of global powers is not optional—it is essential. Understanding shifting dynamics in Europe, the roots of policy changes, and how public sentiment influences the governments therein is critical. The same goes for serious, nuanced readings of the positions of Russia, China, India, and other key players.

These are the forces that help shape the trajectory—and potential endgame—of the genocidal assault on Gaza. What can Palestinians and Arabs realistically expect from the international system? Who’s complicit, who’s indifferent, and who might shift under pressure?

These questions are just as vital as analyzing the settler entity’s internal politics—yet they remain largely neglected in Arab media coverage. Without this global lens, the picture is incomplete, and the path forward dangerously unclear.

5. The Biggest Blind Spot: Palestinian Actors and the Question No One Wants to Ask

More critical than Israeli politics or even international dynamics is this: How are Palestinian actors themselves responding to the genocide in Gaza?

Why is there so little sustained, in-depth scrutiny of the Palestinian Authority, the PLO, and the major factions—especially those with influence? Why aren’t media platforms interrogating their strategies, silences, contradictions, or failures? And what about the Palestinian people themselves—across Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, the ‘48 territories, the refugee camps, and the diaspora? What are the real conditions they face? What is holding back large-scale mobilization, even at the most basic level?

These are the hard questions Arab media largely avoids. Yet without addressing the internal Palestinian landscape—its fractures, pressures, and potential—any understanding of the broader confrontation remains shallow. The core of the resistance is under siege, and the world is watching. But is the Palestinian political system watching too? Or just watching it unfold?

6. If It Changes Nothing—What’s the Point?

Let’s be blunt: hours upon hours of daily coverage, endless panels of Israeli affairs analysts—none of it reaches the Israeli public. Arab media is talking about the occupier, not to it. No Israeli is tuning in. No Israeli policy is being influenced. No shift in the genocidal campaign is being triggered.

Meanwhile, for the Arab viewer, this flood of analyses does not spark action—it often does the opposite. By framing the onslaught as Netanyahu’s personal war, many walk away thinking it will all end once he falls. That illusion deactivates urgency and paralyzes solidarity.

And let’s be real: the Arab public already knows what Israel is. It has lived it for generations—as occupation, as violence, as apartheid. So, if this obsessive dissection of the occupier’s politics is not changing Israeli behaviour, is not energizing Arab action, and is not shaping the battlefield in any way—what is it really doing?

In the face of genocide, we must ask: who is this coverage serving—and what critical stories is it burying?

7. This Is Not Netanyahu’s War—It is the War of a Unified, Fascist, Colonial Entity

To frame this genocidal onslaught as Netanyahu’s personal war is a dangerous oversimplification—and a disservice to the truth. What’s unfolding in Gaza is being waged by a deeply entrenched, fascist, settler-colonial entity. The entire system—military, political, security, and public—has lurched hard to the right, deep into the realm of extremism and bloodlust.

Parsing out differences between the political, military, or intelligence echelons may seem nuanced, but it does little for the Arab viewer—and even less for the Palestinian decision-maker. The reality on the ground reveals a horrifying consensus across the occupation’s institutions. The war is not a product of factional disagreement, but of systemic alignment.

Consider the scope of Israeli military and intelligence operations across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and even Iran. Are these complex, high-risk assassinations and airstrikes just part of Netanyahu’s bid to avoid jail? Did the systematic annihilation of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure happen simply to save one man’s political career?

Of course not. These are the actions of a colonial regime that is operating in full, blood-soaked harmony—across ministries, across security bodies, and across political lines, including many parties not in Netanyahu’s coalition.

The proof? On July 18, 2024, the Israeli Knesset voted overwhelmingly—102 out of 120 members—to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state. Only 9 opposed. This is not Netanyahu’s war. This is Israel’s war—unified, unapologetic, and genocidal.

In Conclusion: It’s Time to Stop Parroting a Dead Narrative

Arab media’s continued adoption—and amplification—of the defunct Israeli left’s narrative on Palestine and the genocide in Gaza is not just misplaced; it is actively counterproductive. This framing shifts focus away from urgent issues, and does nothing to advance the Palestinian cause or support broader Arab interests. It does nothing to stop the genocide. It certainly does not stop bombs from falling on Gaza. Worse—it masks the true face of the occupation: a unified, fascist, and colonial machine bent on erasing Palestinian existence. This isn’t just bad journalism. It’s complicit myth-making. It feeds the illusion that Israel is divided, that change can come from within, that this is Netanyahu’s war—not a war waged by an entire system.

What’s urgently needed is truth without filters: presenting the occupation as it is—a violent, fascist, settler-colonial entity that denies Palestinian rights, denies Palestinian existence, and is dominated by a political ecosystem built upon extremism, racism, and militarized brutality.

In a moment of full-blown genocide, clarity is resistance. The Arab public—and especially Palestinian and Arab decision-makers—must confront the reality that this entity is not divided or confused. It is united in its violence, emboldened by impunity, and driven by an ideological consensus rooted in erasure and conquest.

To confront this, Arab media must stop echoing illusions and start exposing the full truth. Anything less is complicity in narrative warfare—at a time when Palestinians are fighting for their very survival.

This is an attempt to draw attention to what we believe is a deep-seated, systemic flaw—one that can still be addressed and corrected before it’s too late. The hope is that such a recalibration in media framing may contribute, however modestly, to halting the genocide, confronting efforts to erase the Palestinian people from their land, and defending the core of the Palestinian cause.

Because beyond Gaza, this isn’t just about Palestine. Left unchallenged, the current media narrative helps entrench Israel as an untouchable, hyper-militarized entity—one portrayed as too powerful, too savage, too invincible to challenge and confront. That myth doesn’t just demoralize. It threatens the future of every nation and people in the region, with consequences that reach far beyond.

The media must flip the script—urgently. Truth must replace illusion. Clarity must replace confusion. And coverage must serve the oppressed—not the occupation!

Originally published on Arabi21.

Adabted from the Arabic version.