Media Downplay Central Israel Truck Ramming as Mere Traffic Mishap

The media seems intent on distorting a narrative that ordinarily would be considered black and white, saying that Sunday’s suspected terror attack in central Israel was, in fact, a mere “collision” or “incident.”

A truck simply ‘drove into a bus stop’ and caused a “collision,” says @SkyNews.

Was the truck meant to drive into a truck stop and got confused?

Actually, a terrorist deliberately rammed the truck into Israeli civilians.

Is this headline for real?https://t.co/WKOEGesFj5 pic.twitter.com/njtaUZuGDE

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 27, 2024

While there is not yet an official statement on the findings of Israel’s investigation into the truck ramming–  which left one dead and dozens injured — media outlets’ specific terminology is misleading.

Here’s what we know for sure happened: A group of civilian retirees on their way to a museum exited their bus at a stop next to a cluster of IDF military intelligence bases, just north of Tel Aviv.

A truck driver, later identified as Rami Nasrallah, rammed his truck into the stop, injuring more than 30 people and killing a 72-year-old man. The majority of these casualties were the group of retirees.

A civilian with a gun neutralized Nasrallah, and Israel Police are treating this as a suspected terror attack based on the facts they currently have. The perpetrator was an Israeli-Arab citizen from a village in central Israel, and his boss said he had deviated from his usual driving route.

The Hamas terror group also praised the suspected attack, calling it “heroic.”

However, as part of the investigation, the police have sent Nasrallah’s body for an autopsy to confirm whether or not he had a medical condition that could have caused an accident. Otherwise, this will officially be deemed a terror attack.

It’s important to note that these intelligence bases as well as the Israeli Mossad headquarters have become an official target of the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. This bus stop is not located on a main road, and therefore, the area may be considered an intentional spot for a terror attack to take place.

The Times will have its readers believe that this was a “truck attack” on the Mossad headquarters, which is also located nearby. It’s weirdly phrased and misleading — a two-in-one catch:

It’s a suspected terror attack, not a “suspected truck attack,” @thetimes.

And many of the victims are senior citizens disembarking a bus on their way to a museum. Does this sound like a physical attack on Mossad HQ to you?https://t.co/be7jdPb5aw pic.twitter.com/MD9BODltiW

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 27, 2024

And the way Sky News reported the event as a random truck “crash” or “collision” will mislead viewers into believing this occurred on a fast-paced highway, rather than a calm side road with traffic circles.

Calling a suspected terror attack a “truck collision in Tel Aviv” or simply a “truck crash.”

Seriously, @skynews?! pic.twitter.com/zoP6e80s41

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 27, 2024

Additionally, this BBC headline is also misleading.

This headline downplays what actually happened.

On Sunday morning, a driver rammed his truck into a crowded bus stop near an intelligence base in central Israel. He killed one civilian and injured dozens of others, including retirees on a day trip. pic.twitter.com/aFT5Cndmpb

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 28, 2024

Saying the truck caused the event suggests that there was no driver to hold responsible. Likewise, saying that it hit a bus stop significantly downplays its severity — giving the impression that it was surely a traffic accident.

Here is a similar CNN stripe that appeared on air, a short time after the event unfolded:

The truck simply ‘drove’ into a bus stop.

Really, @CNN? pic.twitter.com/6g2ILeIq2V

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 27, 2024

Perhaps it is a poor choice of wording, or maybe using the more passive verb “drives” was intentional. Regardless, CNN should do better.

Media outlets in general should do better — report the facts, and don’t dally around them to fit a specified agenda.

The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.

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