A critique of the emerald
Platforming Propaganda and Humanizing IDF Soldiers
A recent article published by The Daily Emerald concerning a speaking event hosted by Ducks 4 Israel featuring IDF soldier Adiel Cohen contained significant oversights and biases that warrant discussion. While reporting on the event, the piece seemed to dismiss Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) and validate propaganda that pro-Palestine sentiment is anti-Semitism. Moreover, the article portrayed an IDF soldier spreading propaganda and exhibited clear bias in its coverage of the disruption faced by the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) counter-protest. Within the first paragraphs, the Daily Emerald is pushing the narrative that pro-Palestinian activism has made things “really hostile here against Jewish students.” By failing to distinguish criticism of Israeli State policies from anti-Semitism, the article does a disservice to genuine discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Additionally, the article seemed to promote the idea that a debate between ideas should have occurred. You do not debate genocide. The insensitivity of the Emerald to say that Palestinian students have some obligation to give space to a literal IDF soldier is preposterous.
Furthermore, the article's framing of the disruption faced by the SJP counter-protest during Cohen's speech is deeply troubling. The article minimizes the actions of an IDF soldier, identified as Oren, who actively derailed the protest and attempted to spread propaganda. Oren's presence at the event was not adequately contextualized, and his disruptive behavior was not appropriately condemned. By failing to provide a comprehensive account of the events, the Emerald's coverage exhibited clear bias and undermined the credibility of the SJP's concerns.
The article states, “Oren attempted to speak on stage,” referring to the IDF soldier planting himself among students and waiting until the speaker was expressing grief over lost Palestinian children to stand up and interrupt the protest. This alone was a disgusting act that should have been condemned. How are we allowing soldiers of a foreign government currently under investigation for war crimes and condemned by countless human rights organizations to come onto our campus and harass our students? And then allow him to spread his propaganda in our school paper. Propaganda, the peaceful protest, was successfully shut down by elevating actual voices for peace like JVP, composed of Jewish students on our campus who stand in solidarity with Palestine.
The article continues:
“I wanted to see what’s going on, because it [is] all over the place and people really hate me. I don’t know why. I don’t hate Palestinians, I hate Hamas. It’s another thing,” Oren said. “I haven’t killed any [children] and I have seen many Gazan [children] in my time in Gaza, and I have saved them and I gave them water.”
Oren said that he wishes he was allowed on stage to share his perspective on the Israel-Hamas war, saying that the SJP protesters were “fully blinded with hate” for him, and that in “some ways,” SJP protestors ``don't know what they are talking about.” He also said he was disturbed to experience the "hostility" from pro-Palestian protesters on a college campus.
This is his response to students mourning the lost lives of thousands of children. The Emerald found it was the perfect sentiment to publish with no factual information provided regarding the actual crimes committed in this war against children.
Additionally, the article's decision to platform Oren's unchallenged Israeli propaganda raises questions about journalistic integrity and editorial responsibility. Oren's attempt to portray himself as a benevolent figure in Gaza while omitting the IDF's role in the deaths of countless Palestinian children is deeply problematic. The Emerald's failure to challenge Oren's narrative perpetuates a one-sided view of the genocide and disregards the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
The article states
“Howald (Dean of Students) said all involved parties decided public safety officers would ‘contribute to a calming environment.’”
Before immediately and wholly contradicting themselves by also writing
“Khoury expressed their concerns about the presence of UOPD.”
Khoury, the leader of the UO chapter of SJP, has a history of being arrested for peacefully protesting, and this misrepresentation of events is misleading. The article provides a statement validating that assumption:
“This is completely ridiculous,” Khoury said. “[UOPD] do not belong here and they do not belong at events or at public student events or at examples of free speech. They are a threat to the community, and they are not here to protect us and they are not here to assure our safety.”
To include this quotation after already saying the presence of UOPD was agreed on by all parties and was felt to bring a peaceful presence is misleading.
Moreover, the article dismisses the concerns raised by SJP members regarding the presence of UOPD at the event. The Emerald's failure to critically examine the role of law enforcement at such events reflects a lack of sensitivity towards the experiences of Palestinian and pro-Palestine activists.
By dismissing Jewish Voices for Peace and validating propaganda that equates pro-Palestine sentiments with anti-Semitism, the article fails to foster genuine discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Furthermore, the platforming of an IDF soldier spreading propaganda without adequate contextualization undermines the credibility of the SJP's concerns and perpetuates a one-sided view of the genocide against Palestinians. The misrepresentation of events, particularly regarding the presence of law enforcement, further exacerbates the lack of sensitivity and understanding.
