Crystal's article below appeared November 29, 2023 in Sojourners online magazine.

It is the norm for Western media outlets to silence and ignore the voices of Palestinians. Israel set up a blockade against Gaza beginning in 2007 in response to Hamas’ taking over the territory. By restricting the movement of goods and people in and out of the territory, Israel has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel has attempted to justify this blockade and the ensuing humanitarian crisis by characterizing Gazans specifically, and Palestinians in general, as “terrorists” — a characterization of Palestinians that is also prevalent in the United States. And as reported by Kathryn Post and Roxanne Stone for Religion News Services, negative U.S. media portrayals of Palestinians are reminding some Palestinians of the anti-Muslim and anti-Arab climate after 9/11.

In the days following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas, U.S. media outlets and politicians quickly and rightly condemned these attacks. But Israel’s disproportionate response — the endless bombardment of Gaza and especially Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories — has received little condemnation or coverage. In fact, despite the massive Palestinian death toll and humanitarian organizations calling for a cease-fire, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has openly opposed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Where the U.S. media has failed in reporting on Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the humanitarian crisis facing those in the occupied territories, Palestinian-based journalists are offering a much-needed corrective. Christians should be especially interested in these perspectives as they center marginalized voices and reject the dominant narrative of the American empire.

Read the rest of Crystal's article here.