A documentary alleging that the American media is biased in favor of Israel sparked debate in Logan Hall last night.
A discussion panel on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was held before an audience of about 10 by the Muslim Students Association.
Moderator Arsalan Iftikhar, the legal director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, has appeared on talk shows on numerous news channels, including CNN, the BBC and Fox News.
Prior to opening the forum to discussion, the Muslim Students Association presented a 50-minute segment from the documentary Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land.
After the viewing, Iftikhar fielded questions and discussed issues addressed by the documentary.
A heated discussion broke out when an audience member claimed that anti-Israel views are actively suppressed on college campuses, especially in college newspapers.
In the documentary, British journalist Robert Frisk said critiques of Israeli policy are often misconstrued as anti-Semitic.
"Any suggestion that the war between Israelis and Palestinians is colonial will be met by accusations . that the person is a racist or an anti-Semite," Frisk said.
The documentary contended that an Israeli public-relations campaign influences American media.
University of Texas professor Robert Jensen said in the film that this campaign is "waged here in the U.S. to ensure continued support in American media."
Iftikhar said the stereotype of a bearded, bomb-toting Muslim has become the "proto-typical bogeyman for America."
Citing his previous interactions with U.S. congressmen, he said the public "would be shocked at how intellectually shallow some of elected officials are today."
According to Iftikhar, some congressmen have no vested interest in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, and most voted based on public opinion within their home district.
The documentary ended by stating that the American government's official support of Israel was one of the biggest obstacles to peace in the Middle East.
Iftikhar concluded with an assessment that Americans need unbiased coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"It doesn't matter whether you're pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian," he said. "You have the right to believe what you want to believe . but [media should] give the people all the information."
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