MAPIM MEDIA GUIDE: Correct Language for Gaza Reporting*

Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations) – MAPIM
Space U8 , Eco Mall , Bukit Jelutong , Shah Alam , Selangor Malaysia
azmiabdulhamid58@gmail.com
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Prepared by :
Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid
President MAPIM

Purpose :

This guide is for all communications and media statements, and partners. We aim to promote accurate, just, and principled reporting on the Gaza genocide and Israeli occupation.

Key Principles:

■Name the oppressor: Always clearly state “Israeli occupation forces,” “Israeli bombings,” or “Israeli military aggression.”

■Name the crime: Use terms like “genocide,” “ethnic cleansing,” “apartheid,” “massacre,” “war crimes,” and “occupation.”

■Name the victims: Use “Palestinian civilians,” “Palestinian journalists,” “Palestinian children” — not generic terms like “casualties.”

■Use active voice: Example — Say “Israel killed 20 Palestinians,” not “20 Palestinians died.”

■Reject false equivalence: Never present Palestinian resistance and Israeli military occupation as equal sides.

■State cause and responsibility: Example — “The humanitarian crisis is caused by Israel’s siege and bombardment.”

■Use Palestinian sources: Quote Gaza Health Ministry, Palestinian journalists, and eyewitnesses directly.

■Challenge bias: When quoting Israeli claims (e.g., “Hamas uses human shields”), demand evidence and balance with Palestinian perspectives.

Preferred Language:

Not “clashes” → Use “Israeli attacks” or “Israeli bombings.”

Not “conflict” → Use “Israeli occupation and genocide.”

Not “militants” → Use “Palestinian resistance fighters” or simply “Palestinians.”

Not “Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry” → Use “Gaza’s Health Ministry.”

Not “retaliation” → Use “Israeli military aggression.”

Not “unfortunate deaths” → Use “deliberate targeting of civilians.”

Not “security operations” → Use “massacres and ethnic cleansing campaigns.”

Not “escalation” → Use “intensified Israeli assault.”

Example of Correct Reporting:

Incorrect:
“Following an escalation of violence, Israeli airstrikes killed dozens in Gaza in response to rocket fire from militants.”

Correct:
“Israeli occupation forces escalated their genocidal assault on Gaza, killing dozens of Palestinian civilians, including children, in targeted bombings. Palestinian resistance fighters responded to ongoing Israeli aggression.”

Biased Words and Phrases Used in Media Favoring Israel

Clashes : Suggests two equal sides fighting, hiding that Israel is an occupying military power attacking civilians.

Conflict : Makes it seem like a disagreement between equals, when in fact it’s an occupation and genocide.

Israel’s right to defend itself: Used to justify Israeli aggression and massacre of civilians.

Retaliation : Frames Israel as merely responding, hiding Israel’s initial attacks and ongoing oppression.

Airstrikes target Hamas sites: Masks the fact that Israel bombs civilian buildings like hospitals and schools.

Human shields: Blames Palestinians for being killed by suggesting Hamas hides among civilians.

Terrorist organization (only for Palestinians): Demonizes Palestinian resistance while normalizing Israeli violence.

Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry : Casts doubt on Palestinian death tolls to discredit reports from Gaza.

Self-inflicted casualties: Blames Palestinians for their deaths to excuse Israeli bombings.

Ceasefire needed : Only called after Palestinians are heavily massacred, not before.

Surgical strikes: Hides the mass killing of civilians by suggesting Israeli attacks are precise.

Unfortunate loss of life: Minimizes the deliberate killing of Palestinians by calling it accidental.

Gaza militants fire rockets: Headlines focus on Palestinian response, not Israeli bombings that provoke it.

Escalation : Blames both sides equally, ignoring the power imbalance.

Israel responds : Paints Israel as acting defensively, not aggressively.

Israel accuses Hamas: Media repeats Israeli claims without demanding evidence.

Hostages (only for Israelis): Ignores thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including children.

Humanitarian crisis: Talks about Gaza’s suffering but doesn’t blame Israel’s siege and bombings.

Gaza violence : Makes it seem like violence naturally happens in Gaza without Israel’s attacks.

Security concerns : Justifies Israel’s apartheid policies and ethnic cleansing.

Palestinian deaths (passive language) : Avoids saying that Israel killed Palestinians.

Final Note

Language shapes reality. Injustice must be named clearly and courageously. Neutral or vague language only serves the oppressor. MAPIM must be the voice of the oppressed — unfiltered, principled, and just.