Crisis Moments: Shifting the Discourse

Discourse and public opinion on the question of Palestine—and every other issue for that matter—are largely shaped by the mainstream media. Palestine remains remote for the average American consumer of information who is generally less concerned with foreign affairs than with the domestic issues that directly impact daily life. In moments of crisis, however, media coverage of Palestine increases significantly, sometimes to the point of saturation. Such “crisis moments,” despite being few and far between, can have a significant and lasting impact on shaping public opinion, rendering it critically important to understand and analyze the coverage of Israel's latest assault on Gaza—as well as the discourse surrounding the issue.