Full Breakdown
New York Times Removes Controversial Line on Israeli Perception of Oct. 7 Attack
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: NYT Corrects Article on Israeli Documentary
The New York Times issued a correction on Monday, deleting a sentence that had suggested Israelis’ status as victims of the Oct. 7 terror attack was a matter of perception. The line appeared in a story about the award-winning documentary “NAZA,” which examines the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The newspaper said the passage was included because of an “editing error” and removed it from the online article.
Background & Context
“NAZA,” an 80-minute film that won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, has been denounced by senior Israeli military officials as “based on blood libels” and “deliberate distortions of reality.” The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) opened an investigation into the documentary and asked the Israel Security Agency to assist.
The New York Times has faced repeated criticism over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. A study released on June 7, 2024 examined 1,559 articles published between the Oct. 7 attack and June 7, 2024 and concluded the paper displayed a clear bias against Israel by downplaying Israeli casualties and minimizing Hamas’s role.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed in the Oct. 7 attack.
- About 250 people were taken hostage, marking the deadliest day in Israel’s modern history.
Official Statements & Responses
The New York Times said the removed sentence was intended to convey Israelis’ perception of the government’s response, not to question their victim status, and labeled the removal a correction of an editing mistake. IDF chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed the Military Advocate-General, Maj.-Gen. Itay Offir, to open an investigation into the documentary. The Guardian’s co-producer statement emphasized a commitment to “robustly defend” the film and its creators.
Criticism & Opposition
Eitan Fischberger, a journalist with a pro-Israel organization, called the sentence “the epitome of the pattern” identified in the Yale study of NYT bias. Camera director Tamar Sternthal questioned how the paper could treat Israeli victimhood as merely a perception. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings described the passage as an “abomination.” Dani Lerer, co-founder and CEO of Media Oriente, labeled the documentary “propaganda with a documentary aesthetic.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “But Israelis still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7,” — Isabel Kershner, times reporter
- “This sentence is the epitome of the pattern the study found,” — Eitan Fischberger, PRO-ISRAEL GROUP journalist
- “Naza is propaganda with a documentary aesthetic,” — Dani Lerer, co-founder and CEO of Media Oriente
What’s Next
The IDF investigation, led by the Military Advocate-General, is ongoing. The Military Advocate-General’s office has not set a public timeline for its findings.