How the media manufactured consent for genocide

What the report says

Al Jazeera’s “The Listening Post” features historian and media critic Assal Rad discussing her new book, “Don’t Say Palestine: How the Media Manufactured Consent for Genocide.” In the interview, Rad argues that major news outlets helped shape public understanding of Israel’s war on Gaza by normalizing the dehumanization of Palestinians and framing the conflict in ways that obscured the scale and impact of the violence. The program presents her book as a critique of mainstream journalism’s role during the war.

The segment is centered on Rad’s analysis rather than on new reporting from the program itself. It places her argument in the context of the Gaza war and the broader debate over how legacy media covers Palestinians, Israel, and allegations of genocide. The title and framing make clear that the discussion is about media influence, narrative formation, and editorial choices that can affect public consent for war.

The episode also includes a separate contribution from Al Araby TV correspondent Ameed Shehade, who speaks about conditions in the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera says settlers, with protection from the Israeli army, have intensified attacks on Palestinians there, making it more dangerous for journalists and residents. Together, the pieces highlight the wider regional context in which media coverage, press safety, and the escalation of violence remain closely linked.