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Trump wants to control the AP. I covered the Middle East for them — here’s what he’s got wrong

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Peter Bergen : Words shape narratives, influence perceptions and, in context of international reporting, can either bridge cultural divides or deepen existing chasms.

Bergen worked at the Associated Press for decades , including as bureau chief in Jerusalem and editor in charge of Middle East coverage.

He says AP 's approach to the Israeli -Palestinian conflict is similarly guided by a commitment to precision and impartiality.

Many terms in regular use in conversations around that conflict carry profound political and emotional weight.

Peter Bergen : The AP didn't use the terms “terrorist” or “terror attacks” in describing Hamas assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 .

Bergen says the U.N. classifies 7 million Palestinian refugees as refugees, but that's not what the AP calls Israeli Jews of Mideast descent.

He says these terms suggest that one or the other side is in the wrong; they are dog-whistles, just like Trump ’s “ Gulf of America ”.