The Associated Press suggests that reporters not refer to Hamas as a terrorist organization, arguing that the word has “become politicized” and instead suggests calling them “militants.”
In the AP’s “Israel-Hamas Topical Guide” it is explained that the words, “terrorism” and “terrorist” have become overly politicized and are often used “inconsistently.”
“Because they can be used to label such a wide range of actions and events, and because the debate around them is so intense, detailing what happened is more precise and better serve audiences,” the AP writes of Hamas.
On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets into southern Israel and killing more than 250 who had been attending a music festival near the Gaza border. Almost 1,400 people, including 32 Americans, were murdered that day including women, children, and babies.
While the AP’s Israel-Hamas Guide gives a background regarding what happened on Oct. 7 when “Hamas militant stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns,” the AP still advises journalists to use their words “carefully to reflect respect for different perspectives on the conflict.”
“When approaching the 75-year Israeli-Arab and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is important to understand the deep wells of anger, hurt, bitterness and grievance built up over generations among Israelis and Palestinians who have lived with insecurity and conflict their whole lives, and who have seen many attempts at negotiation and mediation fail,” the AP writes.
AP generally avoids labeling someone a “terrorist” on its own, preferring to cite competent law enforcement officials or other credible authorities. Instead, we describe the specific actions we are reporting on and what we know about the perpetrators’ motives.
— APStylebook (@APStylebook) January 7, 2021
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Hamas is described as being an Islamic militant group that took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 after defeating its political rival in elections the year before, according to the Council of Foreign Relations website.
Since October 8, 1997, Hamas has been listed as a terrorist organization, according to the U.S. State Department.
The United Kingdom, European Union, and Canada, along with others also classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Journalists are instead advised to use terms such as, “militant” or “militants” when describing Hamas.
“Terms such as Hamas fighters, attackers or combatants are also acceptable depending on the context,” the AP adds.
The AP once shared an office building in Gaza that contained several Hamas offices. In 2021, the office building was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the building contained Hamas operatives and weapons, along with an office for the Islamic Jihad, a terrorist organization in Gaza.
This is not the first time that the AP has not used certain words in an attempt to be more politically correct. In March 2021, the AP sent a memo out to reporters advising them against using the word, “crisis” when describing what was happening at the U.S.-Mexico border.
