Running Head: PALESTINIAN TV COVERAGE OF WOMEN

The Palestinian TV Coverage of the Women of Palestine

Taylor Pinckney
Queens University of Charlotte

Abstract
How the media chooses to cover particular groups of people can shape how that particular group
is viewed by the masses, so how Palestinian women are covered by Palestinian news outlets was
examined to determine the role that women play in Palestinian society today. Throughout history,
women in Palestine have faced oppression and a limited role in the society, but their presence in
society is changing, with time. While Palestine remains a conservative, patriarchal society, in
recent years, women have been more represented in certain aspects in society. Some women are
now present in roles in Palestinian media outlets, but in limited numbers. Women are not present
in influencing positions and their power is still slim, which is evident in the fact that womens
issues are not readily covered by many Palestinian news outlets. News coverage of womens
events or issues related to women is minimal. In contrast, some women have attempted to revolt
against their traditional role in society through protests and by being vocal in society, but these
types of events are rarely covered by the news. With the coverage of womens issues in the
Palestinian media being so limited, Palestinian media outlets are failing to adequately portray the
current state of Palestinian women in society. Together, these findings suggest that the role of
women in Palestine is changing, but women still face many challenges in Palestinian society.
Keywords: Palestine, media, television, coverage, women, society

Introduction
The way information is translated throughout the Middle East has evolved in various
ways throughout the years. Palestine is a great case to examine because of its heated political
tensions, primarily the long lasting conflict with Israel. Many scholars feel that the PalestinianIsraeli conflict is the major obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East, so it is very
interesting to see how various groups are portrayed in the Palestinian media. The role of women
in the Middle East is one that is very controversial, so seeing how women are portrayed in the
media can be useful in understanding how women fit into the society. Analyzing Palestinian
television coverage of women is important in understanding the role that women play in
Palestinian society. The Palestinian media is subject to the political control of the government as
the authorities seek control the images that are portrayed to the masses, which affect how women
are viewed in society. Womens issues are underrepresented by the Palestinian media, which puts
Palestinian women at a further disadvantage in the patriarchal society.
During wartime events, the medias major focus tends to be on capturing the violence that
is occurring. (Blondheim & Shifman, 2009) analyze how the media covered the events during the
Gaza War of 2009, by comparing the media coverage in Palestine and Israel. It used three
dimensions to analyze the war, arenas of war news, protagonists position and the degree of
correspondence between government officials and the media. Palestinian media coverage
changed drastically once violence intensified between Israel and the Hamas over the Gaza Strip
conflict, during what is referred to as the Gaza War from 2008-2009. During this time period,
there were disparities between what the government officials were saying, what the media outlets

were presenting and how the public was receiving the information. This is indicative of the
control that the Palestinian media can have over certain groups. There is also a difference
between the rights of women in the West Bank compared to those in Gaza. In studies like this we
can attempt to decipher what is actually occurring based on figures, videos and other accounts of
the conflict, but we can also see if various media officials cover the same controversial issue in a
different manner. The role that women had in these events is also one that is not covered by the
Palestinian media, which is not surprising given that women are notably absent from the
decision-making process of media institutions (Sakr, 2004).
After the intifada, the ensuing growth of media outlets created more opportunities for
women to be a part of the broadcast industry in Palestine, as there was a need for journalists to
cover the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Most of the violence was occurring near the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip, where in 2001, there were over 30 privately owned television shows
headquartered from the West Bank alone (Sakr, 2004). Authority can frame the media and how
events are covered. In an attempt to provide Palestinian women with a voice, there have been
several attempts to provide a media outlet specifically for women in Palestine, and one of these
attempts was the development of a specific program that was aimed to analyze the Palestinian
daily life in a way that would address gender issues within the Palestinian community, which was
called Palestinian Women and Media Coverage. This television program was launched, with the
intention of reaching the target audience of Palestinian women, with specific reports on how
women are portrayed in Palestinian advertising, complete television series, local television
shows, and the role of female Palestinian journalists in reporting (Sakr, 2004). This television
program aired on International Womens Day to seven different television networks in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip. This launch attempt lacked in effectiveness as it attempted to create a

larger voice for women in these regions but it was not very effective because of its mostly female
viewership. In order to be successful, both women and men needed to become more aware of the
issues that were being addressed in the programming, as gender issues affect both females and
males.
Some major issues that the media chose to cover in early periods of conflict between
Palestine and Israel include equal rights, education, micro-credit for small businesses run by
women, oral political history and the role of Palestinian women. These types of media coverage
included women political activists who date back to the early points of the conflict. These types
of womens groups were formed to fight the norms of the Palestinian society that justify the
oppression of women. The motivations of these types of groups include the hopes of expanding
the participation of women in social and political aspects of life. These womens groups have
made attempts to change how women are viewed in society and pursue recognition for major
gender issues in Palestine. While some Palestinian womens groups became more prominent
throughout time, as the violence increased and the political environment deteriorate, the
mobilization of women became increasingly difficult. In the West Bank, many citizens faced
tremendously severe political, economic and conditions, as well as highly controlled media
outlets, which made the pursuit of womens liberties more difficult. Prior to the intifada that
resulted in the Hamas takeover of the West Bank, the Palestinian women did not have a voice in
the media sector due mainly to the absence of an official authority in the occupied Palestinian
territory (Sakr, 2004).
Background

Throughout the occupation of the West Bank by the Israeli government, the Palestinian
press was harshly censored by Israel. Yet, during the intifada, still under control of Israeli forces,
the Palestinian press remained subject to intense censorship by the Israeli government, where
they mainly covered international affairs. Throughout the years, there have been several
occurrences of the detention of a number of journalists and human rights activists which allude
to limitations on the ability of the press to publish certain events at their own will. The current
Palestinian press laws remain ambiguous, which allow for the government to intervene at their
will (Jamal, 2000).
In Palestine, women have basic rights, like the right to vote, and Palestine has an
established quota for the vote of women in Palestinian elections. While certain laws do grant
women certain rights, women face many issues are often not addressed. In Palestine, women are
often victims of honor killings, rape, and other acts of violence towards women. With the Hamas
taking control over the Palestinian controlled territory, there was a In the Gaza Strip, there have
been many reported incidents of beatings of women. Yet, these types of crimes are rarely
reported and they rarely receive media attention from the Palestinian media. Palestinian media
outlets remain subject to different types of censorship from Palestinian officials. These types of
influence can come from formal or informal limitations placed on the media outlets, but also in
the form of self-censorship, as media outlets know what can and cannot be covered. Media
outlets are subject to various forms of corruption, nepotism, and authoritarianism within the
various networks, as well outside influence of the Palestinian authority, as well as the elites
(Jamal, 2000).
To obtain a better understanding of the Palestinian media outlets, Daraghmeh (2003)
analyzed the Palestinian medias coverage of current events. Dargahmeh found that there are

four kinds of mass media in Palestine. These four mass media outlets are government-run media,
independent or semi-independent media, opposition media and local media. The study found that
while the media did cover the conflict, it did not focus on the Palestinian government, which was
subject to more censorship. Daraghmeh notes the importance of the change in Palestinian
coverage after the Intifada. Prior to the Intifada, there was cooperation between Israel and
Palestine, but the armed revolution increased tensions between the two regions. Palestinian
journalists have much freedom to publish events on the conflict because the information that they
choose to publish will be sympathetic to the anti-Israel and sympathetic to the Palestinian view,
yet internal Palestinian events are heavily censored by the government. The Palestinian medias
coverage of women was one that is mentioned as gender issues are not a major focus of the
Palestinian news because most media attention goes towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even
if major events that involve women are occurring (Daraghmen, 2003).
Not all media outlets are under the control of the Palestinian government, conversely, the
most influential Palestinian outlets are the independent newspapers and television stations, who
are free to publish information that is highly critical of the conflict. Gaza Strip is currently under
control by the State of Palestine, while the West Bank is under Israeli control. Since the Gaza
War witnessed an increase in violence and tensions because of the Hamas takeover. The Gaza
War lasted for several weeks during 2008 as violence occurred between both the Palestinian and
Israeli armies. There were many casualties from this dispute over the land. Of course in instances
like this citizens of both countries will turn to the media for information on the issues. However,
in 2008, journalist coverage of the Gaza violence was very limited. While some domestic
networks were allowed in Gaza, there was little coverage of the conflict at the time because
international networks were not allowed inside The Gaza Strip. This naturally limited the

international coverage and awareness of the huge conflict, especially in the West. Violence
against journalists that were allowed in Gaza was a problem because many journalists were
targeted as they attempted to capture footage of the dramatic events. Yet, during the conflict, the
Palestinian media was heavily in control of what was being aired.
The rights of women and their role in society are mainstream topics in the Palestinian
media. Nonetheless, these topics have not produced the desired effect of including a substantial
change in the situation of women, and they have failed to change the stereotypical image of
women. Needless to say, Palestinian women and men are not viewed as equals. Many men see
their role as the provider, which they feel is justified and reinforced by Islamic teachings. This
presents similarities to individuals who feel that the Bible declares that it is the role of the man to
be the sole provider, while the woman is created to be a support system for the man. This affects
how women are viewed based on the individual interpretation of the message coupled with the
norms of the society. In all religions, no matter the society, certain individuals choose to
selectively look at the things that they want to see (Sakr, 2004).
Jamals (2004) analysis of the feminist media discourse in Palestine and the predicament
of politics found that:
Having to act within a traditional patriarchal society has made womens efforts to
inuence public policy in Palestine especially hard. Palestinian women have had
and still have to act against their discrimination as women in Palestinian society
and as Palestinians against Israeli occupation. This dual struggle has clashed
sometimes and created tensions between women and other social movements,
especially the Islamic movement. In this context, most mainstream media

institutions in Palestinian society remain loyal to the dominant traditional

nationalist political thinking. (p. 129)
An analysis of feminist messages throughout the Palestinian media is conducted in
Jamals (2004) study, where he specifically analyzed the coverage of womens movements in a
Palestinian newspaper. He found that the editorials consistently attempt to fight the hegemonic,
patriarchal nature of the Palestinian society, by being critical of the institutions. The newspaper
study also found that the newspaper had a feminist undertone that was primarily in support of the
message of fighting the suppression of women that is not properly being tackled by Palestinian
laws. This newspaper outlet is also critical of Islam, as it seeks to present the idea that women
should be in charge of changing their roles in Palestinian society. Lastly, the newspaper is highly
critical of the Palestinian government for not meeting its need to protect all citizens and eradicate
the gap between reality and expectation in regards to womens issues.
Analysis
When examining where the image of Palestinian women has developed, it is important to
examine certain aspects that influence a society other than the media. The media is a tool that
influences the masses, but it is not the sole reason that a particular group is portrayed in a certain
way. One important factor that must be accounted for is education. The educational system is an
important influencer for secondary socialization, second only to the socialization that occurs
within the family unit. Early on, schools are where social identities are formed. This is also
where gender identities occur. Over the past century, the number of females pursuing an
education has increased in the West Bank, yet this has not fostered a break from the societal
prescribed gender roles. Yet, in areas where women are not exposed to education and have fewer

10

opportunities, women are less open to changing the way they are treated in society and more
accepting of the societal norm of how a Palestinian women should be. Many women, who have
less access to education and various other resources, may be unaware of their legal rights and
responsibilities within the society (Toprak, Secil & Ozkanal, 2009). Even though many more
women are becoming educated in Palestine, women remain disenfranchised and underprivileged.
This stereotype of the Palestinian woman, who is submissive to men, is continually enforced by
the conservative society.
Elif, Secil and Ozkanals (2009) study found the following:
It is ironic that, on the one hand the difficulties emanating from the Israeli
occupation strengthen the traditional patriarchal family and limit womens
choices(due to mainly security reasons), on the other hand the difficulty of living
conditions empower women by increasing their daily responsibilities. Only under
this burden, women become more aware of their identities and changing gender
roles. ( p. 141)
Upon the economic downturn that Palestine has recently faced, many men in the West
Bank have been faced with unemployment and lack of resources. In these instances, women have
been more heavily relied on to support their husbands and help out the families. In these
instances, this shows a breaking of the social norms in the society. The role of women within
Palestine is one that is reflected within the media, whether through direct coverage of women or
suggestive implied stereotypes of women that are being depicted through the media. Elif, Secil
and Ozkanal (2009) analyze the relationship between womens role in changing media
technologies and the educational growth. This provides an analysis that presents womens issues

11

within Palestine and how they are being expressed in the media. It also analyzes how much
access women have to technology in comparison to that of the past. Womens issues are a
growing issue within Palestine, as many women have joined protests but are being continually
portrayed in a stereotyped image in the Palestine media. Naaman (2007) analyzes the image that
is being portrayed of Palestinian female suicide bombers. The author presents coverage from
Western media outlets in comparison to media features in Palestine. While female suicide
bombers go against the traditional portrayal of Palestinian women, the authors study analyzes
the changing role of Palestinian women in the media. The study shows that media coverage of
male suicide bombers was much different than the Palestinian medias coverage of female
suicide bombers. Male suicide bombers were often left anonymous and were not covered in great
detail, while female suicide bombers were described in great length and displayed the bombers
personal information. This draws a distinct contrast because female suicide bombers are
presented in a completely different light than male counterparts, who completed the same act. In
the conservative Palestinian society, women completely these acts goes completely against the
norm, but even the women who committed these violent acts are referred to by the Palestinian
media as brides of Palestine or angels of death, which reinforce the stereotypes of
Palestinian women.
In the Palestinian society there were some changes in the interests of women, but
womens issues remain a problem. While many women remain underrepresented in political
positions within the government, there has been implementation of new laws that protect the
rights of Palestinian women. These laws are movements towards addressing gender disparity in
Palestine, but women do not maintain equal rights of men in this society, much like many other
nations in the Middle East. Yet, womens rights are a global issue. While the United States has

12

made progress, women still made 80 cents to every dollar that a man makes. Even in Western
cultures, like the United States, women face challenges in how they are stereotyped in media
coverage. This is something that is occurring in Palestine as well, as women are portrayed by
Palestinian media broadcasts as oppressed, incompetent, exploited, incapable, and unappreciated
(Sakr, 2004). This is a challenge that some have tried to address as some women are trying to
escape these stereotypes by pursuing educations, forming organizations and making attempts to
influence Palestinian society.
The progressive attempt to foster gender awareness in the Palestinian media has faced
much interruption and disruption over the years, but it saw significant changes once Palestinianrun broadcasting networks were allowed to cover the events occurring in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip in the early 90s (Sakr, 2004). Prior to this change, information was not being
conveyed as journalists were not allowed to cover these events. Violence is a major focus of the
media coverage of events in Palestine. Yet, incidents involving women and gender issues are
highly controversial. Lowdstedt and Madhoun (2003) present an analysis on how the political
uprisings have been covered by the Palestinian media and what message is conveyed to
Palestinian viewers. While violence is a focus of several media outlets, Schechter (2003) presents
the idea that mass media outlets in Palestine can be an effective tool to promote a peaceful
solution to the conflict, if the media outlets present the information in a way that is free of bias
and strives to remain objective. Schechter proposes that the Palestinian media can present
programming that promotes a peaceful solution as opposed to presenting rhetoric that further
promotes tension.
The culture of Palestine is a primarily patriarchal society, where the role of women is
traditionally more submissive to men. Jamal (2004) presents an analysis of discrimination and

13

stereotypes of women in the Palestinian media, as well as the lack of a platform that addresses
Palestinian womens issues in the media. This article also addresses the negative attitudes that
Palestinian women receive in regards to the Israeli conflict, as well as the feminist media
discourse that has arisen throughout the years. This study is essential in understanding how
women are currently being portrayed through television in Palestine and how their portrayal has
changed throughout the years.
A study conducted by Palestinian universities that took place over a years span, sought to
investigate how women fit into the media field in Palestine. The study found that Palestinian
women made up only 20 percent of the Palestinian media professionals, primarily in roles as
anchors and reporters, with little to no female chiefs of staff or producers. With women only
acting as reporters and anchors, they had little influence on what gets covered by the news.
While the number may seem high, it is good that more women are in media positions in
Palestine, their lack of powerful roles in broadcasting means that more change is needed so that
women can have more of a voice in the media. The study found that the subsequent growth of
media outlets following the stabilization of the government allowed for more opportunities for
women to have roles in the Palestinian broadcasting industry because there are several media
outlets in Palestine because in 2001, in the West Bank alone there were 31 privately owned
television shows (Sakr, 2004).
A study conducted by the United Nations Childrens Fund that was analyzed in Women
and Media in the Middle East: Power through Self-Expression, showed that:
71.4 percent of media specialists considered Palestinian media coverage of issues
related to women to be unsatisfactory, while only 3.6 percent considered the

14

Palestinian media coverage of women to be substantial or good, while the

remaining polled felt that the coverage was average. One reason for this low
satisfaction rate is thought to be a deliberate policy among Palestinian media
institutions of avoiding controversy or causing offence in a conservative society.
Another is the limited resources and professionalism of the private Palestinian
television shows. (p. 114)
The results of this study show that there is an evident dissatisfaction in the coverage of
women in Palestinian society. Most of those who participated in the survey felt that there was not
enough representation of womens issues in Palestinian media outlets. While some were satisfied
in the coverage, the gap between unfavorable and satisfactory was very high to the point that
these results could be considered a landslide victory for the unfavorable. These survey results
could be indicative of the feeling of corruption and self-censorship by the Palestinian media.
Certain issues are not being covered that are relevant to the viewers, so the media is not acting a
conveyer of unfiltered information. If womens issues are not being covered adequately, then a
large portion of the Palestinian population is not being represented effectively by the media.
Some women have made strides towards getting their voices heard in the Palestinian society and
if women leaders can proactive by working to change the inequalities, then gaps can be closed
and tensions can be halted, which will allow for peace to formulate (Nusseibeh, 2011). This can
work to further advance the Palestinian society, even though it has been hard to facilitate changes
that have promoted womens equality. In regards to the role of the media in enabling peace, more
media outlets should create programs that foster peace and tolerance (Schechter, 2003). If the
media does not focus on violence and conflict in its programming, then this will make amity

15

become more of a possibility in the Palestinian society. This type of resolution would impact all
aspects of society, from social to economic. The power of the media to evoke is palpable.
Conclusion
Palestinian women remain underrepresented in media accounts in Palestine. The
stereotypes that Palestinian women are forced to overcome are fostered by the patriarchal nature
of the society. The recurring theme of violence and oppression is one that Palestine will have to
overcome in order to facilitate a better image of Palestinian women in the media. By continuing
to provide more Palestinian women with opportunities to act as a part of the broadcasting arena,
Palestinian women can seek to become influencers in the decision-making process. More open
networks could benefit from being more open in its coverage of women, as they are not subject
to as much government influence, like those of more traditional media outlets within Palestine.
Both Palestine and Israel being more open to attempting to facilitate an end to the long conflict
could allow the Palestinian government to continue to attempt to address gender issues in the
nation. This will take time, but it will work to inhibit a more stable society based on equality.
While Palestine has made certain strides to make their press more free and open, certain
limitations still remain which infringe upon the growth of the society. In order to advance the
media, must be more liberal in their coverage of particular events, especially those that address
women. Although Palestine is a conservative society, it could keep some of its traditional values
while being open to recognizing the rights of women. Some of the new laws that have been
created to address womens issues are strides towards improvement, but in order for real change
to occur; these laws will need to be implemented in the society. This will require the media
outlets to address issues and act as influencers for change. Continuing to provide women with a

16

voice for influence can impede this type of change, but women will need to be in key roles that
allow for advancements of the media coverage of women. Attempts have been made to set the
foundation for a more open and transformative Palestinian media as a whole, and in order for
changes to continue, there needs to be support from more of the society. Women, especially, must
continue to be vocal in their push for more societal freedoms and better representation in the
media. Gender inequality affects both men and women, and it should not be addressed as only a
female issue. The way to change how women are viewed by society is to make all realize that it
is a growing problem. This is how Palestine can change how women are represented in the
society. In order to promote more peace, tolerance and acceptance in the Palestinian society,
tensions between Palestine and Israel must finally come to an end, as both sides should be
willing to work to facilitate a compromise.
It is possible for the role of women to change in the Middle East. In order to facilitate
social change, the Palestinian media must tackle the issue of self-censorship and attempt to
provide the fundamental information to citizens, without limitations. It is evident that the way
Palestinian women are depicted in the Palestinian media cannot simply change by allowing more
airtime to womens issues, the root of the negative image of Palestinian women that is depicted
by the Palestinian media is the gender disparities within the Palestinian society. In order for the
media coverage of women to be more balanced and fair, the society must change its view of
Palestinian women. Young boys must be educated to respect women as their equals, even in the
conservative society of Palestine. If principles of peace and acceptance are heavily promoted by
the media, culture and society then this will facilitate better media coverage of women. This type
of openness could also lead to end of the violence and conflict between Israel and Palestine,
which could facilitate a more stable Middle East. Further analysis can be done to examine the

17

role that the violence between Israel and Palestine has on the medias coverage of women, as
well as how violent acts involving women are covered by the Palestinian media. An interesting
comparative analysis could be done between the rights of women in Palestine and the rights of
women in Israel.

18

References
Daraghmeh, Mohammed. (2003) Effects of the Conflict on the Palestinian Media. PalestineIsrael Journal of Politics, Economics and Culture.
Toprak, Elif; Secil, Banar & Ozkanal, Berrin. (2009) Opportunities of Information &
Communication Technologies for Palestinian Women: Media and Distance Education.
Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences.
Naaman, Dorit. (2007) Brides of Palestine/Angels of Death: Media, Gender, and Performance in
the Case of the Palestinian Female Suicide Bombers. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture
& Society.
Lowstedt, Anthony; Madhoun, Husam. (2003) The Intifada, Hasbara and the Media. PalestineIsrael Journal of Politics, Economics & Culture.
Schechter, Danny. (2003) How the Media Can Serve the Cause of Peace. Palestine-Israel Journal
of Politics, Economics & Culture.
Jamal, Amal. (2004) Feminist media discourse in Palestine and the predicament of politics.
Feminist Media Studies.
Sakr, Naomi. (2004) Women and Media in the Middle East: Power through Self-Expression. In
Library of modern Middle East studies.
Jamal, Amal. (2000) The Palestinian Media: An Obedient Servant or a Vanguard of Democracy?
Journal of Palestine Studies XXIX, no 3, pp. 45-59.
Blondheim, Menahem; Shifman, Limor. (2009) What Officials Say, What Media Show, and What
Publics Get: Gaza, January 2009. The Communication Review.
Nusseibeh, Lucy. (2011) Women and Power in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Palestine-Israel
Journal of Politics, Economics & Culture.

19