The journalistic mistake that softens Hamas and humanizes the wolf - opinion

A militant does not have to be a terrorist. A resilient democracy (a democracy that defends itself) is often referred to as a militant democracy. This does not mean that democrats are going to resort to terrorist methods.

Targeted language promotes certain feelings and thoughts. When Hamas is referred to as a militant Palestinian group, it almost evokes sympathy against the backdrop of the war ruins in Gaza. The truth of the Gaza war disappears.

Moreover, they would wonder why the Gazans are not rebelling against a terrorist organization. The Gazans no longer need to fear that: the Israeli army is already in Gaza, and Hamas has been considerably weakened. This does not mean that the audience will no longer empathize with civilian victims. However, if the media uses the right words, the audience will take the complexity of the conflict into account. Ultimately, the audience will be less susceptible to anti-Semitic propaganda.

But for two years, the Dutch Public Broadcasting Service was spreading Hamas messages as if they were true.

In December 2025, Great Britain arrested some men of Tunisian and Iraqi descent who were planning to attack Jews and Jewish targets. According to the police, they were planning to carry out ‘possibly the deadliest attack in British history.’

There was a wolf that attacked people (especially children) and animals. People no longer dared to take their children or dogs to Utrechtse Heuvelrug. NOS Dutch News interviewed a wolf enthusiast as an expert who described this wolf as a deranged, confused wolf. No one at the editorial office questioned whether this was a ridiculous way of reporting the news. The NOS News referred to the wolf, which has since been shot dead, as problem wolf Bram. This sounds like a joke, but it really happened. It is just as questionable as the reports from the Hamas Ministry of Health.

A wolf is a predator. Humans were and still are terrified of wolves. Wolves attack their prey as a close-knit group. It is not without reason that wolves are portrayed in literature as dangerous and vicious animals. The wolf expert from the NOS Journal would never let his child play in the woods where a group of wolves lives. ‘Problem wolf’ is a hilarious description of a wolf that behaves like a wolf.

There are no confused wolves. If a wolf is a problem wolf, then that means that all other wolves do not cause problems for humans or weak animals. At the same time, the term ‘problem wolf’ implies that we can solve its problem or at least treat it with empathy. A nihilistic attitude that distorts reality and is also selective. Some aggressive animals or states, such as Russia, are not treated kindly or with empathy. The ‘Russia problem’ has not yet been invented, even though Russia is waging a terrible war against Ukraine and, in fact, against Europe. Russia is rightly referred to as an aggressor by the Western media.

Journalists must be neutral and choose words that reflect reality. Neutral wording is achieved not only through the use of neutral words, but also through the absence of judgment on the matter. Denying the true nature of a wolf is not far from denying the true nature of Hamas. Hamas represents a kind of wolf pack of Palestinians in and outside Gaza. Hamas was and is a terrorist organization. Hamas' intention can already be found in its statements: the destruction of the Jewish state through terrorist attacks. Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, Hamas has extended its terrorist intentions to all Jews in the world.

So be wary of language use. Be wary of manipulation and indoctrination in the name of journalism. Happy holidays.