New York Times Restricts Language on Gaza Conflict in Memo to Journalists

The New York Times has instructed its journalists covering the ongoing conflict in Gaza to limit the use of certain terms such as 'genocide', 'ethnic cleansing', and 'occupied territory' when reporting on Israel's actions against Palestinians. The internal memo, which was leaked and obtained by The Intercept, also directs reporters to avoid using the word 'Palestine' except in rare cases and to refrain from referring to Palestinian refugee settlements in Gaza as 'refugee camps'.

The memo, distributed to Times staff in November 2023, was written by the newspaper's standards editor, international editor, and their deputies. It outlines guidelines that the Times claims are intended to maintain journalistic objectivity and avoid inflammatory language. However, some Times journalists have criticized the memo as being apologetic towards Israel and lacking historical context about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The directive to avoid terms like 'genocide' and 'ethnic cleansing' has drawn particular scrutiny, as it appears to downplay the scale and severity of Israel's actions in Gaza. The memo instructs reporters to instead use more specific language to describe individual events and attacks. It also tells journalists not to refer to Gaza and the West Bank as 'occupied territories', despite the fact that they are widely recognized as such under international law.

Why this matters: The New York Times' coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has significant influence on public perception and discourse surrounding the issue. The leaked memo's restrictive language guidelines raise concerns about the newspaper's impartiality and its role in shaping the narrative around Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

The Times has defended the memo as an effort to ensure accuracy and consistency in its reporting. However, an analysis by The Intercept found that the newspaper has repeatedly used the same language it now seeks to restrict, such as 'terrorism', to describe attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, while rarely using such terms to characterize Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians.

The leak of the memo has ignited debate both within the Times newsroom and among outside observers. Critics argue that by avoiding terms that accurately describe the reality of the conflict and Israeli actions, the Times is engaging in a form of linguistic erasure of Palestinian experiences and identity.

As of April 2024, the conflict in Gaza remains ongoing, with devastating consequences for Palestinian civilians. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 33,800 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since Israel launched a major offensive in October 2023. Over 14,500 of Gaza's 1.1 million children are among the dead, with thousands more missing. Essential services and infrastructure in Gaza have been decimated by the Israeli assault. Despite the mounting civilian toll, the Times memo makes no mention of these figures and instructs reporters to continue avoiding terms like 'genocide' that Palestinian officials and human rights organizations have used to characterize the situation.

Key Takeaways

• NYT instructed journalists to limit use of terms like 'genocide', 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza coverage.
• Memo directs reporters to avoid using 'Palestine' and 'refugee camps' in reporting on the conflict.
• Critics argue NYT's language guidelines downplay the severity of Israel's actions against Palestinians.
• NYT has used 'terrorism' to describe Palestinian attacks but rarely used similar terms for Israeli violence.
• Over 33,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed since Israel's October 2023 offensive in Gaza.