New study reveals: How Israel is covered in the Arab and Turkish press

A study by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) examined how Israel is covered in the mainstream press of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. The main finding: the press in the UAE is the most neutral (53% neutral coverage), while the Turkish press leads in negative coverage (72% of opinion columns). The study analyzed 1,054 opinion columns and front pages, and found that in Turkey, daily coverage is the most prominent and negative, including expressions that border on antisemitism.

A new study by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) reveals a complex picture of media attitudes toward Israel in the Middle East. The study, which focused on the period after the outbreak of the conflict with Iran on February 28, 2026, examined two aspects of coverage: opinion columns published in the mainstream press and the appearance of Israel in headlines and on the front pages of media outlets. The review included 1,054 opinion columns, along with a daily analysis of the home pages of selected media outlets from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. The most prominent finding: the press in the UAE presents Israel in the most neutral manner among the countries examined, with 53% neutral coverage. In contrast, Turkey is at the other end of the scale, with the highest rate of negative opinion columns (72%), followed by Egypt with 65% and Saudi Arabia with 49%. In the analysis of front pages as well, the Turkish press leads in the most prominent and negative daily coverage. The study also found a number of positive opinion columns about Israel in the Saudi press, a rare and unusual occurrence, in which Israel was presented in the context of achievements in the fields of progress, research, and academic institutions, or as a factor helping to curb Iran. However, the negative columns included examples that go beyond criticism of Israel, including denial of its right to exist and even outright antisemitism, such as a reference to "Talmudic aspirations" in Asharq Al-Awsat and a claim in Ahram that disrespect for non-Jews is part of Zionist ideology.