elopment disputed areas (the) enemy (the) entity eternal capital of the Palestinian people execution Friday prayer al-Sharif (the Hebrew state herd of settlers heroic action hero prisoners Hilltop Youth Historic Palestine Holocaust w(s) Jewish neighbourhood Jewish State Jihad Judes and Samaria kidnap Land of Israel levelling lands liquida Hamas) Minister of War / Minister of the Army murdered Nakba Nazi Neighbour Procedure Occupation Occupied esistance / resistant riots / rioters security measures security prisoner security wall / security fence self-defence erritories terrorism, terrorist Tomb of the Patriarchs united capital of Israel / united capital of the Jewish people apartheid apartheid wall buffer zone caught in the crossfire closure development disputed areas (the) enem emple Mount gang of settlers (the) government of Tel Aviv Green Line Haram al-Ibrahimi Haram al-Sharif (the Hebrew state herd of e of terror innocent civilian Israeli-Arabs Israel Occupation Forces Jerusalem Jew(s) Jewish neighbourhood Jew Istish’hadi) martyrdom operation measures Middle East expert military wing (of Hamas) Minister of War / Minister of alestinian resident peaceful demonstration popular resistance Price tag resistant resistance / resistant riots / rioter / settler siege Sons of Israel / Sons of Zion surgical (action) targeted (strike) Temple Mount Territories terrorism, terror viduals) Western wall / Wailing Wall Zionism Zionist entity activity / action aggression apartheid apartheid w capital of the Palestinian people execution Friday prayers at the Temple Mount gang of settlers (the) government action hero prisoners Hilltop Youth Historic Palestine Holocaust incitementUse infrastructure With of terror Care innocent civilian Judes and Samaria kidnap Land of Israel levelling lands liquidation martyr (Shahid, Istish’hadi) martyrdom oper A Reporter’s Glossary of Loaded Language ed Nakba Nazi Neighbour Procedure Occupation Occupied Jerusalem Outpost Palestinian resident peaceful es security prisoner security wall / security fence self-defence settlementin the Israeli–Palestinian / settler siege Sons Conflict of Israel / Sons iarchs united capital of Israel / united capital of the Jewish people wanted (persons / individuals) Western wall / IPI Headquarters Spiegelgasse 2/29 A-1010 Vienna, Austria Telephone: 0043 1 512 9011 Fax: 0043 1 512 90 14 [email protected] http://www.freemedia.at Registered in Zurich, Switzerland International Press Institute Use With Care | 1 Contents 1 Foreword Staff Acknowledgements 2 Preface 3 Editor’s Note Alison Bethel McKenzie IPI would like to express its gratitude to 4 A Reporter’s Guide to IPI Executive Director & Publisher the Foreign Ministry of Norway, which Loaded Language International Press Institute made the creation and publication of this 5 Index handbook possible. Naomi Hunt Editor-in-chief IPI is also indebted to the six Israeli and Palestinian advisers who spent so much Gunes Yildiz time and effort writing the content of this Managing Editor book, advising on every political and cultural nuance, and carefully selecting Six Israeli and Palestinian Hebrew and Arabic translations. The Journalists and Media Experts writers collectively decided to withhold Authors their names as a result of the current po- litical situation in Israel and Palestine. Lucy Cripps Subeditor ISBN 978-3-9503007-9-6 2 | International Press Institute Use With Care Foreword The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has The International Press Institute has flict, which we hope will both promote been one of the most intractable, com- repeatedly stressed the need for jour- dialogue and be of practical use. plex and violent of the last century. The nalists to be able to exercise their con- struggle between the two communi- science. Freedom of the press and media Journalists should understand and ties has been traumatic for both sides, is key. On the other hand, so is the mea- choose their words in a way that is sensi- and has embroiled regional and foreign sured use of language, and we remind tive to the cultural and political realities actors alike. our colleagues that the media can only of this long conflict, and we hope that this fulfill its duty to the public if journalists pocket-sized reference will help them to When it comes to conflict report- uphold the principals of their profession. do so. ing, the media can easily aggravate an already precarious situation. Here, it is The language that reporters use paramount that the media face nearly no in covering this or any conflict can per- Alison Bethel McKenzie restrictions, but act responsibly and pro- petuate stereotypes, can incite hatred IPI Executive Director & Publisher fessionally at the same time. or can simply deflect from more press- ing issues. How this conflict is covered is Journalists in the region may be par- important, almost as important as what ticularly invested in the conflict, because is covered. they live in it with their neighbours and families. They have personal stories and For those reasons, IPI asked six convictions that create ethical obligations journalists from the region to produce that may conflict with their obligation to a guidebook for media professionals professionalism and unbiased reporting. reporting on the Israeli–Palestinian con- International Press Institute Use With Care | 3 Preface The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has Can journalists rise above their roots Palestinian and Israeli media have been going on for several bloody and and remain true to their journalistic mis- adopted terms that suit the needs of violent decades, sustained by negative sion, even when those interests conflict? journalism, but also the needs of their and traumatic experiences on both sides. Can they avoid the use of loaded words respective sides of the conflict. Words It often dictates the region’s agenda that serve a narrative instead of reflect- that are regarded as incitement in Israel and naturally receives extensive media ing reality? would be considered patriotic on the coverage. A society engrossed in con- Palestinian side, and vice versa. As is flict is going to be biased and will chan- This vocabulary handbook is all about commonly the case in actively conflicted nel most of its negative energies against words, language, and terminology. Words regions, one society’s terrorist is anoth- those whom it perceives to be its ene- are more than they seem; they may pos- er’s freedom fighter. mies. A society in conflict will delegiti- sess more than one meaning or have a mise and stereotype the other while nur- hidden connotation, which may change None of us are naïve, and we all under- turing a sense of patriotism, victimhood, over time and depend on circumstances. stand that words can only mediate reality, and righteousness. Knowing a language’s grammar and syn- not define it. But words are also powerful, tax will not suffice when trying to accu- and they play a major role in shaping our It is in this entangled and complicated rately pinpoint the meaning of a word. For consciousness and perceptions. They can reality that Israeli and Palestinian journal- our purposes, it is necessary to examine inflame the conflict, and may become a ists operate. Aside from being journalists, the meaning of a word or expression in weapon more destructive than rockets, they are also members of a conflict-rid- the context of the conflict, where it may tanks, or aircraft. As the proverb says, ‘Life den community and, as such, are influ- be loaded with different associations and and death are in the power of the tongue’. enced by its ethos and collective memory. meanings depending on whom you ask. This realisation is our guiding principle. 4 | International Press Institute Use With Care The handbook presented to you con- The handbook tries to present reason- This is not an academic or theoretical stitutes a preliminary attempt to rede- able alternatives to the loaded terms and exercise, but rather the result of a con- fine the language with which the media, is meant to serve as a tool for journalists scientious process that involved, for all whether Israeli, Palestinian, or foreign, trying to find their way in the typically of us, making quite a few compromises. refer to the conflict, in the interest of ac- complicated terminology of the conflict. This is an attempt to promote the most curacy and fairness. It was written not only for the sake of Is- professional and balanced journalism raeli and Palestinian journalists but also possible amidst the reality of an active, This is a guide of sorts, presenting a for foreign reporters, with the intention of still-bleeding strife. collection of terms used on both sides, honing and increasing their awareness of which in some contexts may be regard- problematic terminology that they might ed as loaded or biased, or whose mean- employ, or that they might find in use by Sincerely, ing is often misunderstood, or which can actors on both sides of the conflict. The Writers be misleading. These are words the use of which is liable to give away the report- The handbook is intended to serve the er’s communal identity or sympathies. journalist reporting from the field, the es- There are words that can cause some sayist or publicist, the anchor or present- audiences to simply shut down and stop er, as well as the editor, who is in charge, listening. Our goal is to expose potential among other things, of phrasing and word- linguistic pitfalls, so that those covering ing headlines. All of these people have a the conflict are aware of how their words responsibility to impartially reflect reality might be received. for their readers, listeners, and viewers. International Press Institute Use With Care | 5 Editor’s Note About this Glossary At the International Press Institute (IPI), perience covering the conflict – and living Other expressions are more problematic, we stress that journalists can play a vi- in it. The writers are journalists, some of and journalists should be aware of termi- tal role in resolving conflict and building whom also have academic backgrounds, nology that might give some audiences peace, not by pushing a pro-peace agen- and they have worked for local and inter- the impression that they are biased.