New York Times Criticized for 'Baffling' Take on Oct. 7 Victims
The newspaper faced backlash over a passage suggesting Israelis still largely view themselves as victims of the Hamas attacks.
The New York Times is facing criticism for a passage in a recent article that stated, "Israelis still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7." The comment appeared in a Sept. 14 article by reporter Isabel Kershner, which discussed a documentary titled "NAZA." This film chronicles alleged killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and recently won an award at the Venice Film Festival.
The article detailed the criticism the documentary has received from some Israeli officials, who have described it as "based on blood libels" and "deliberate distortions of reality." Some officials even suggested revoking the citizenship of the film's directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, for allegedly "betraying the state of Israel."
Kershner's article linked the backlash against the film to the upcoming three-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and Israel's national election, suggesting these events "have further fueled the backlash."
"Israelis are deeply divided over how to apportion blame for the policy, military and intelligence failures that preceded the attack and the war," Kershner wrote. She then added the disputed sentence: "But Israelis still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7," juxtaposing it with a mention of the 1,200 civilian casualties and 250 hostages taken on that day, described as "the deadliest day in Israel’s history."
The phrasing quickly drew sharp criticism on social media. CNN correspondent Scott Jennings shared a screenshot of the passage, calling it "abomination." Many users expressed confusion and anger, with one commenter writing, "If Israel wasn’t the Oct 7 victim, who does the NYTimes propose is? The mental gymnastics are at an Olympic level here."
Another commenter sarcastically remarked, "Yes, and equally curiously, Americans overwhelmingly still see themselves as the victim of 9/11. The nerve!"
The article also quoted a statement from The Guardian, which co-produced "NAZA," expressing dismay at what it called an "authoritarian response" in Israel and vowing to "robustly defend" the documentary and its creators.
The New York Times has faced scrutiny over its coverage of the conflict previously. In one instance, the newspaper is reportedly facing a lawsuit from Israel over an article alleging Israeli soldiers raped Palestinian prisoners. The country's Foreign Ministry called that report "one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel."
A recent study examining The Times' articles published between Oct. 7, 2023, and June 7, 2024, reportedly found a clear bias against Israel, including downplaying its casualties and minimizing Hamas's role in the conflict.