On Thursday, Fox broadcast his morning show, “Fox & Friends,” live from the Second Avenue Deli on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a New York institution that bills itself as “an authentic Jewish culinary experience.” Does. It was the site of anti-Semitic vandalism last month, when someone drew a swastika near the back door of the restaurant.
The show’s co-host, Lawrence Jones, received a thunderous applause from patrons raising corned beef hash, bagels and fried eggs when he said the media had not done a sufficient job of reporting on Israel’s plight.
He highlighted coverage of the explosion at a hospital in Gaza last month. Citing an official in Gaza, several media outlets initially ran headlines saying Israel had bombed the site. A few hours later, Israel said the explosion was caused by an errant Hamas rocket. Those initial reports were a “hoax,” he said. (Fox News initially reported that Hamas claimed Israel was responsible, but also noted that Israel had not confirmed this.)
Then, referring to criticism of some outlets like Fox being too pro-Israel, Mr. Jones said it was legitimate to choose a side in this conflict. “I think we’ve taken the side of life.”
One of the deli patrons, Elliot Galpern, who lives in Manhattan and works in real estate, thanked Mr. Jones off camera after the segment ended. In an interview, Mr. Galpern, a registered Democrat, said he could not have imagined six months ago that he would turn to Fox News, adding that he probably would have laughed it off as “fake news.”
Now, he said of Fox: “We’re so glad they’re covering it. We are not getting enough coverage. “And it is very important to see what is happening.”
Mr. Galpern pulled out his phone to show headlines from Israeli publications reporting on various atrocities committed by Hamas, as well as the group’s pledges for revenge against Israel. “These should be headlines in the United States,” he said.
His sister, Ariel Stern, said she found Fox’s reporting to be a counter to the bias in other American media. “It seems like any opportunity to blame Israel is on the media.”
But Fox may also pull ahead. This week, the network was accused of Islamophobia when one host, Jesse Waters, declared, referring to Muslims, “We did it to them.” A White House spokesperson condemned the comments.
Fox as a corporation has not only provided extensive coverage of the Israeli perspective, but it has also begun running public service announcements on Fox News and Fox Sports. A recent spot produced by Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism laments, “When one hatred grows, they all grow.”
In many ways, Fox’s coverage of the Israel–Hamas conflict is reminiscent of the way the network covered the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Fox News anchors left very little daylight between their commentary and Bush administration policies. American flags and red, white and blue graphics fluttered across the screen.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said, “This is our 9/11.” recent interview On Fox News.
