Zajel Youth Exchange Program recently organized a workshop for the students of the Sharia Department. The workshop was attended by students and faculty members of the Sharia Department as well as students of other faculties. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Jed Ober, an American Zajel Volunteer, with the aim of discussing subjectivity versus. objectivity in the American media, specifically in regards to the occupation of Palestine and the topic of the Middle East as a whole. Mr. Ober, who graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in the USA, gave a presentation which discussed methodology used to present news by major American news agencies and also provided a statistical analysis in support of his assertions.
The presentation began by showing contrasts in headlines of American news websites.  The headlines ranged from very objective to completely subjective. Statistics were then presented showing the over reporting of Israeli deaths and the underreporting of Palestinian deaths, especially in headlines or first paragraphs of news stories. Mr. Ober explained that the pro-Israeli influence is strong throughout American media organizations, for the most part existing at the very top of their corporate structures.
The workshop also explained that pro-Israeli influence is not the only problem.  Government rhetoric and public apathy contribute to the misperceptions that exist between the American and Palestinian cultures as well.
A discussion ensued between the students, the presenter, and a university professor.  Some students expressed their concern that the larger problem is in the United States so it is the responsibility of U.S. citizens to work towards a solution. Other students expressed their frustration with the lack of activism on behalf of Palestinians both in the United States as well as throughout the occupied territories.
Mr. Ober expressed his pessimism with the American populace, explaining that much of the responsibility to repair Palestinian's tainted image lies with the Palestinian people, specifically the youth. "While the image of Palestinians in the western media is completely distorted, the fact is that most Americans won't challenge this false perception", explained Mr. Ober. He went on to say, "I hope some of these students will reach out to Americans with the aim of showing them what the Palestinian people are really like, which is a far contrast to what we see in the western media".