Media Framing of Palestine and Its Global Impact: Seminar by Tawasol Forum and Muhammadiyah University Jakarta

The Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication (Tawasol) organized an international seminar titled “Media Framing of the Palestine and Its Impact on Global Audiences” on Monday, February 2, in cooperation with the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Muhammadiyah University Jakarta. The seminar brought together journalists, academics, students, and activists from several countries via Zoom.

The seminar featured Dr. Khader Mohammad Al-Jamali from the Gaza Strip; Dr. Sami Akileh, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Media at the University of Applied Sciences in Gaza; Mr. Tutok Suryanto, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Press Council; and Mr. Amin Shabana, a member of Indonesia’s Broadcasting Commission.

Dr. Asep Setiawan, a member of the General Secretariat of the Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication (Tawasol), delivered a welcoming address in which he emphasized the central importance of media framing in shaping public opinion. He stressed that Tawasol places particular emphasis on Indonesian media, given the region’s strong popular and academic support for Palestine and its vital role in conveying a professional and impactful Palestinian narrative capable of reaching regional audiences.

Dr. Khader Al-Jamali stated in his presentation that “the media is no longer merely a conveyor of events, but has become a parallel battleground where the war of narratives is fought alongside the military war.” He emphasized the need for “journalism grounded in international law and human rights, one that deconstructs the ‘self-defense’ discourse rather than merely relaying images of destruction.”

For his part, journalist Tutok Suryanto said that Indonesian media “has addressed the aggression on Gaza primarily as a humanitarian and moral issue,” explaining that tvOne “mobilized all its capabilities to provide continuous field coverage, in cooperation with Al Jazeera Arabic, to ensure the delivery of an accurate and credible picture to the Indonesian public.”

Mr. Amin Shabana noted that media coverage in Indonesia “has historically tended to support Palestine,” pointing out that “the focus on civilian suffering, humanitarian aid, and Indonesia’s diplomatic role reflects a deeply rooted popular and official stance since the country’s independence.”

In the same context, Dr. Sami Akleh affirmed that “strengthening cooperation between academics and media professionals has become a necessity to confront media disinformation campaigns,” calling for “the construction of a cohesive professional discourse capable of influencing global public opinion and presenting the Palestinian narrative with depth and justice.”

This seminar comes as part of Tawasol’s efforts to enhance its academic and media presence in Indonesia and to foster in-depth discussion on the role of media framing in supporting the Palestinian narrative and influencing global awareness.