In an era of rampant misinformation, one organization stands at the forefront of ensuring accurate reporting on Israel. Israel365 News reporter Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz speaks with Dr. Tricia Miller, Director of CAMERA’s Partnership of Christians and Jews, about the challenges of media coverage during the Gaza War and the rise of antisemitism across the political spectrum.
Founded in 1982 “to respond to The Washington Post’s coverage of Israel’s Lebanon incursion” and to address what it considers the media’s “general anti-Israel bias,” the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) serves as a pro-Israel media-monitoring NGO. Dr. Tricia Miller, who leads CAMERA’s Partnership of Christians and Jews, closely monitors Christian organizations and media activity related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Post-October 7th Media Landscape
When asked about the state of reporting since October 2023, Miller doesn’t mince words about the challenges her organization faces.
“We’re not about to retire. We’ve had more to do than ever,” Miller explains. “The lies, propaganda, and distortions about Israel in the context of this war with Hamas have been worse than ever, and that’s saying something. Israel is always treated with a double standard, but in the context of this war, it’s magnified.”
Miller describes how misinformation began spreading almost immediately after the October 7th attacks. “Within hours, we saw denials, distortions, and false narratives. There were even claims that Israel carried out the attacks on its own people. There was a huge effort to deny the truth or excuse what actually happened.”
Holocaust Denial in Real Time
One of the most disturbing aspects of the media coverage, according to Miller, was the immediate denial of documented atrocities.
“I’ve studied and taught the Holocaust for decades. We all know there’s Holocaust denial. But this was Holocaust denial on steroids, because it happened within hours,” Miller states. “The perpetrators themselves documented their atrocities in real time. They were happy about it. It was their videos that everybody was watching. And yet, most of the world decided to say, ‘Oh no, it didn’t really happen.'”
Christian Support for Israel: A Complex Picture
The conversation shifts to exploring the varying levels of support for Israel within different Christian denominations, with Miller explaining her focus on monitoring developments in the Christian world.
“Evangelical support for Israel is very solid, but there are elements of the Christian world that are not,” Miller notes. “This includes but is not limited to the Orthodox, the Catholic, and the traditional denominations that are in the Old City of Jerusalem. And then there’s fringe elements.”
When asked whether Christian anti-Israel sentiment is faith-based, Miller confirms that it stems from theological misinterpretations. “For a Christian to be anti-Israel or antisemitic, they have to misunderstand what the Bible actually says about God’s plan for the Jewish people,” she explains. “They have to believe in what we now call replacement theology… that God is finished with the Jews, that there’s no more purpose for the Jews or for Israel.”
She contrasts this with evangelical Christians, who “read their Bibles and understand it. They are supportive of what God’s doing with the restoration of Israel. Evangelicals remain faithful.”
The Troubling Rise of Right-Wing Antisemitism
Berkowitz expresses particular concern about the growth of antisemitism on the political right, which he notes “tends to be Christian and faith-based, as opposed to the left, which is anti-Christian and anti-faith.”
Miller acknowledges this connection and singles out Tucker Carlson as especially problematic due to his wide influence. “Because he is much more respected and has such a huge following, he’s the most dangerous,” Miller argues. “Many of his positions on other issues are conservative, so the evangelical world thinks he’s okay. They’ve respected a lot of his opinions, but he is, in my opinion, the most dangerous.”
She cites Carlson’s interview with Palestinian pastor Munther Isaac as particularly egregious. “Tucker laid the ground for him and then gave him an open stage. He didn’t challenge anything Isaac said. Even in Tucker’s introduction, he accused Israel of persecuting Christians and targeting civilians in Gaza and starving the people in Gaza; every blood libel you can think of got mentioned in that hour.”
Finding Reliable News Sources
As the interview concludes, the conversation turns to how average consumers can find accurate reporting on Israel amid widespread bias and misinformation.
Miller recommends several trusted sources: “Israel365 is a good source… CAMERA is an excellent source for finding out the truth.” She also praises the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), particularly Jerusalem Dateline with Chris Mitchell, whose reports she describes as “always succinct and accurate.”
Berkowitz concurs, noting that Mitchell “has been in Israel for decades so he is an insider. This is unique for a non-Israeli and a non-Jew; to be an insider.”
Miller also mentions the Wall Street Journal and Israel HaYom as relatively reliable publications, while cautioning that Haaretz “is basically left-wing propaganda” despite many non-Israelis considering it a trustworthy source.
The Problem of Casualty Figures
In their final exchange, Berkowitz and Miller discuss the problematic reporting of casualty figures from Gaza, with Miller pointing out fundamental issues in the data.
“All of the Hamas terrorists dress as civilians. And all the figures that the press is so happy to quote, they’re all coming from Hamas,” Miller explains. “Even in the last few months, Hamas had to correct their figures and significantly reduce the number of casualties. At first, they were claiming that some seventy percent were women and children, to support their claim that Israel targets civilians.”
She concludes with a sobering assessment that the struggle against anti-Israel bias “is never going to end. In the Christian world, it is a spiritual issue. It’s a biblical issue. It’s based on the bad theology that’s been in the church for almost 2000 years.”
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Together, we can illuminate truth and bring blessing to Israel in its time of greatest need.For more information on CAMERA’s work and resources for Christians and Christian organizations combating anti-Israel reporting, visit CAMERA’s website and the site of CAMERA’s Partnership of Christians & Jews.
