In her new book, Rebecca Stein proves the limits of video images in exposing the truth: “…the Azaria affair… marks a turning point regarding Israel and overt violence against the Palestinians.”
Jadaliyya: What made you write this book?
Rebecca Stein: As an anthropologist who has worked in Israel and Palestine for the last two and a half decades, I have been fascinated by the ways that changes in global media ecosystems have made their mark on political realities on the ground.
The recent events of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Jerusalem are an important occasion that shows the importance of the image and the extent of its impact on the arena of political disputes… In an attempt to understand the effect of the image, Al Jazeera.net interviewed anthropologist Rebecca L. Stein.
On 24 March 2016, a Palestinian was lethally shot by an Israeli soldier in downtown Hebron, in the occupied Palestinian territories. The event was captured on camera. [1] The footage was clear, filmed by a Palestinian neighbor from his adjacent roof, and the shot was audible. [2] The soldier could be seen methodically cocking his weapon as he approached his Palestinian target, an assailant who was already lying immobilized on the ground, and firing a single bullet at close range.
After Israeli police entered Jerusalem’s Aqsa Mosque in early May, the world watched as conflict erupted in the region once again, and social media followed.
…The IDF is incredibly internet-savvy, jumping on trends, posting increasingly baffling memes, and putting its own spin on various internet phenomena, says Rebecca Stein…
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