Avoiding knowledge is not the way | Guy Yanai
A study conducted in Israel and Jordan found that Jews and Arabs avoid reading about casualties of the other side, but exposure to information changes attitudes and increases empathy. The column argues that the film "Naz'a" should not be blocked in Israel, but rather seen, examined, and debated, since avoiding knowledge enables denial.
In his column, Guy Yanai argues that avoiding reading about casualties of the other side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a widespread and harmful phenomenon. He cites a study conducted in spring 2024 with Moshe Shai and Roy Levy, in which money was offered to Israelis and Jordanians in exchange for reading news about the war. The study found that participants demanded about 40% more payment to read about casualties of the other side, and the rate of those who completely avoided reading jumped fivefold. Yanai notes that knowledge gaps are acute: only 10% of Palestinians believed that Hamas massacred Israeli civilians, and only about a third of Israelis acknowledged that thousands of Gaza children had been killed. He attributes some responsibility to the media but emphasizes that commercial newspapers serve their readership. However, he points to optimism: exposure to stories about the other side increased the rate of those recognizing innocent casualties by nearly 30% and empathy by an even higher rate. Yanai concludes that the film "Naz'a" should not be blocked in Israel, as a blocked film is not refuted but gains an aura, and calls on the public to see, examine, and debate instead of avoiding.