In the IBT (International Business Times), journalist Vasudevan Sridharan wrote about a widely publicized statement from Israeli PM Netanyahu, at the security conference in Munich earlier this week, in which the PM clarified that Israel would respond to attacks by Iran’s proxies not only against the proxy, but also against Iran itself.
Not content to merely report the news, Sridharan began by misstating the PM’s words:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his country would not hesitate to launch an attack on Iran and not just stop with its offensive against Tehran’s allies.
But Netanyahu did not say that.
The New York Times reported accurately, writing:
[Netanyahu] said that if pushed, Israel would act “not only against Iranian proxies that are attacking us, but against Iran itself.”
(emphasis added)
The difference?
Sridharan described an aggressive Israel, ready to attack, whereas the PM actually spoke of acting in self-defense and if necessary.
Sridharan then went to on misstate the events of recent weeks:
[Netanyahu’s] threat comes in the wake of Israel stepping up its offensive against Iranian and Assad’s positions in Syria…Tensions between Iran and Israel have increased due to [Israel’s] military campaign…
The truth is actually exactly the reverse: Iran stepped up its offensive: flying a modern, stealth model, military drone into Israel. Israel reacted with a discrete and focused response, and military activity has not been continuing to escalate in the weeks since. Israel has not been pursuing a “military campaign” nor an “offensive” as newsreaders would typically understand the words.
Netanyahu made numerous other statements: about supporting the Iranian people as well as others in the region who seek peace. These portions of the speech received no mention at all.
It’s clear that the International Business Times has an agenda to cast Israel as warlike and aggressive. But if you have to change facts and quotes to make your point…well, maybe you’re just plain wrong.
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