Israel and the Western press: why the obsession? On this week’s episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz sits down with journalist and author Matti Friedman to discuss Israel’s disproportionate representation in the Western media. Hear Matti explain how the intensity of the Israel news story is so much greater than any other international news story, how press is censored in restricted areas such as Gaza, North Korea, and Iran, and how the media can shape a story rather than just report on it.