Mondoweiss – Bias and Credibility

History

Mondoweiss, established in 2006 by journalist Philip Weiss and later co-edited with Adam Horowitz, operates under the Center for Economic Research and Social Change. Initially part of The New York Observer’s website, it became independent in 2007. Mondoweiss identifies itself as a news website covering American foreign policy in the Middle East, mainly from a progressive Jewish perspective. The founder, Weiss, is a self-described progressive and anti-Zionist.

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Funded by / Ownership

The website is a part of The Center for Economic Research and Social Change, a 501(c)(3) organization. It has been described as a socialist advocacy organization by Influence Watch, a right-leaning group. Mondoweiss has also received funding from sources such as Ron Unz, who has been labeled antisemitic by the ADL and frequently publishes misinformation. Revenue streams include advertising, donations, and merchandise sales through an online store.

Analysis / Bias

Mondoweiss exhibits a strong pro-Palestinian bias and is extremely critical of the Israeli government. It frequently publishes content that is negative toward Israeli policies and actions, often portraying them in a highly critical light.  For example, the article “Genocide in service of Nakba 2023” is emotionally loaded and one-sided against the Israeli government due to its use of highly charged language and its singular focus on alleged atrocities committed by Israel without providing context or perspectives from the Israeli side. The piece characterizes the situation as a “genocidal war on Gaza” aimed at “depopulation and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people” in “brutal but deliberate stages.” It accuses the Israeli government of engaging in “widespread destruction and industrial-scale slaughter,” cutting off essential supplies like water and food and targeting civilian areas for destruction. The article alleges that these actions are part of a strategy by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to achieve “complete forced displacement” of Palestinians, describing this as “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” used as a means to an end​. This piece is a one-sided opinion by the author.

In another article Massacre: Israel kills over 500 Palestinians in Gaza hospital attack, they promote the unproven claim that Israel bombed the hospital. While it is not conclusive as of this date who bombed the hospital, evidence suggests it was an errant rocket. In the article, they state: “Israel denied responsibility and claimed that the explosion was the result of an errant Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) missile without offering evidence. However, this is exactly what Mondoweiss did with this statement: “The Israeli military bombed the Anglican-run al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday massacring hundreds of people.” Again, there was no evidence at the time of report and today it is still inconclusive.

Further, the site’s founder’s anti-Zionist stance is reflected in the content, with articles often presenting a one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The ADL has categorized Mondoweiss as a hate group promoting antisemitism. The site has been accused of presenting misleading information and promoting a narrative of “holocaust inversion,” suggesting that Israelis are committing atrocities akin to the Holocaust against Palestinians. This view is nearly universally considered antisemitic as it minimizes the atrocities committed by the Nazis.

Editorially, most articles favor a progressive left perspective such as this The socialist path forward and BDS vs. the lie of ‘woke Zionism’. While most stories are rooted in fact, the stories often omit important context that can paint a misleading picture (propaganda) of the situation. Finally, while Mondoweiss typically sources its news stories, it sometimes relies on the low factual Quds News, such as in this story. Israel praises ‘exceptionally restrained’ protests in Gaza after killing 4 Palestinians, three of them teenagers.

Failed Fact Checks

• As of the latest update, Mondoweiss has not been subjected to fact-checking by an IFCN fact-checker.

Overall, we rate Mondoweiss as Left Biased and Questionable due to the blending of opinion with news, the promotion of pro-Palestinian and anti-zionist propaganda, occasional reliance on poor sources, and hate group designation by third-party pro-Israel advocates. (D. Van Zandt 3/4/2017) Updated (12/07/2023)

Source: http://mondoweiss.net/