MSM Bungles Israel’s Election

[geek tragedy]

Last edited Thu Jan 24, 2013, 12:19 PM - Edit history (1)

How did the MSM get this so wrong? TAI editor Adam Garfinkle noted that the media is prone to a simple psychological fallacy: “We see what we expect to see, and we disattend (pardon the jargon) what does not fit with our framing of the situation. . . . If we’re sure that our range of expectations excludes a particular outcome, we will not see evidence of it until too late.”

That’s more or less the story of the MSM’s relationship with Israel. Many journalists in the West care about the peace process above all else. Thus, they are often concerned with Israel only insofar as it relates to the Palestinian issue, and only see Israeli society through the lens of the two-state solution, as Via Meadia alum Yair Rosenberg pointed out in Tablet last month.

It’s true that the Israeli electorate is less engaged with the peace process than it was in the post-Oslo years before the Second Intifada. But many journalists in the West incorrectly took this to mean that Israelis are shifting rightward with regard to the Palestinians, a fact that seemed to be confirmed by interview after interview with radical settlers and left-wing commentators.

And then came the election. The party that had the biggest night, Yesh Atid, ran on a strictly domestic platform: reducing mortgage prices, lowering the cost of living, and implementing universal conscription. The far-right party that the New Yorker and Time predicted would take over Israeli politics, Habayit Hayehudi, came in fifth in votes, and may later be at risk of breaking up.

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/01/23/msm-bungles-israels-election/

So, did the election really settle anything, other than general discontent with Netanyahu's domestic policy? Is there a backlash against the settlers and Ultra-Orthodox that flew under the radar?

[Mosby]

1. link?

[geek tragedy]

2. oops. link added nt

[oberliner]

3. The MSM should've read my posts on DU

A lot were eager to run with the Bibi runaway victory story or rise of the new RW party story - both of which turned out to be bogus (Jewish Home will come in 2nd!!! OMG!!!)

If they read my posts here, they may've reconsidered promoting those narratives.

Though some, like 972mag (hardly MSM but still popular here among some quarters) had their reasons for such a promotion, despite it not being "reality based".

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. not being "reality based"

The US has the same problems WRT the MSM getting it wrong, pollsters being totally wrong, and the people choosing sanity over the crazies. Let's hope that there's even more sanity WRT letting the Palestinians be recognized.

If your predictions were correct WRT the Israeli vote then, were I to wear one, my hat would come off to you.

The thing to remember is that the Jewish Home may be stronger next time around, or go away completely. Let's hope they go away for good.

[Scootaloo]

5. Your posts predicted Tzipi Livni and a leftward sweep.

What you got was this other fellow, some progress on domestic issues, a 60/60 split likely to lean more to the right, and status quo on Palestine (or worse; centrists the world over love killing people to prove they're "tough on national security" after all).

I would hold off on blowing my own horn if I were you. At least until the actual government is formed.