Morsi Anti-Semitism: Better Late Than Never For the New York Times
January 15, 2013 12:53 by Simon PloskerIn a story that was reported by Israeli press, including the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, a video from 2010 was released by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi opposing peace with “the descendants of apes and pigs.” (See transcript here.)
That the leader of the Arab world’s most powerful and influential state has openly expressed anti-Semitic views and his opposition to peace with Israel was a potentially huge international story. Or was it?
Forbes magazine’s Richard Behar asked the question as to why no American newsrooms deemed Morsi’s comments worthy of attention:
Needless to say, this was HUGE NEWS for American mass media! Only it wasn’t. (Knock, knock, New York Times? Anybody home?) In fact, to be fair to the paper of record, not a single major outlet has covered it. Not AP or Reuters. Not CBS News or CNN. Not Time magazine or U.S. News & World Report. Not the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, or USA Today. Etcetera. And therein lies a story, which this column can only begin to skin open here. …
Undoubtedly, the Cairo and Jerusalem bureaus of the big U.S. media outlets saw the story. But the news only found its way to certain American readers and viewers by getting picked up in Jewish and/or conservative forums over the following days. …
Most would agree that, even in the internet age, the [New York] Times is still the leading agenda-setter for major media. It is, after all, the best paper around, a true wonder-of-the-world. But it does seem to avoid covering Islamist incitement against Jews (and Christians) like the plagues.
Lo and behold, however, today’s New York Times (January 15) covers the Morsi story. While it took the intervention of a respected publication such as Forbes before the New York Times woke up and reported the news that should matter to its readers, credit to the paper for publishing the story while other mainstream media such as CNN, BBC, Washington Post and others have failed to do so.
From the original release of the story on January 4 and Richard Behar’s article on January 11, it has taken some eleven days for the New York Times to file a report.
According to the NY Times report: “Representatives of Mr. Morsi have declined repeated requests over more than three days for comment on his remarks.” This would imply that journalist David Kirkpatrick first cottoned on to the story on the day that Behar called out the NY Times.
While it is concerning that the NY Times initially didn’t consider anti-Semitic and anti-Israel comments from the Egyptian president to be worth covering, at least the paper did eventually publish the story. We wait to see whether others will follow the NY Times’s lead.
Why is this important? That Egypt’s president uttered these statements is newsworthy in its own right. But in the bigger picture, the media tends to concentrate its attention on presenting Israel as the intransigent side, placing issues such as settlements at the heart of the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, anti-Israel incitement from the Palestinians and the wider Arab world is virtually never covered and is thus rarely factored in as a potential obstacle towards peace.
It’s time that the mainstream media acknowledges that the Mideast conflict might actually be based on more than just a simple territorial dispute.
In this case, thanks to Richard Behar, it’s better late than never.
UPDATE
The Algemeiner reports that Morsi’s anti-Semitic remarks have been condemned by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney at a Tuesday press briefing:
“We strongly condemn the remark that then-Muslim Brotherhood leader Morsi made in 2010. The language that we have seen is deeply offensive. We completely reject these statements, as we do any language that espouses religious hatred. This discourse–this is a broader point–this kind of discourse has been acceptable in the region for far too long and it’s counter to the goal of peace. President Morsi should make clear that he respects people of all faiths, and that this type of rhetoric is not acceptable or productive in a democratic Egypt. Since taking office President Morsi has reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to its peace treaty with Israel in both word and deed, and has proven willing to work with us towards shared objectives including a ceasefire during the crisis in Gaza last year. These commitments are essential to our bi-lateral relations with Egypt as well as for stability in the region.”
Empress Trudy
2:59 pm
Jan 15, 2013
No. It’s not better late than never. It’s worse. Better we see them for the antisemites they are than for the blase patronizing half-nazis they want to be. I would rather the NYT stood up and shouted loud and clear for a new Holocaust so as to remove all doubt.
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BUTSeriously
9:09 pm
Jan 15, 2013
The world needs a 2-state in Egypt, not a 3-state in tiny Palestine. The Copts, the original inhabitants of Egypt, are facing genocide. A democratic, Christian state in East Egypt would save Christians, buffer Israel from Islamic terrorists and also be good for the west.
Lebanon also should be made Christian again, free of Islamists. And if the west really wanted peace, they would restore the Balfour and shut down the fictitious Saudi regime of Jordan, which creation was and remains one of the greatest crimes perpetrated by Britain and the only true cause of this conflict.
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Sydney Lumett
10:23 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Totally agree
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Thom McCann
3:31 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Peace cannot be made with any Arab entity unless they stop the anti-Semitic propaganda.
Imagine distributing books or TV shows which denigrate, ridicule or defame African-Americans. Would the U.S. not deal with this before giving billions of dollars to this kind of country?
The Iron Dome of Ignorance and Propaganda is stronger than any defensive system and fouls the minds of millions of People throughout Arab lands against jews—not just Zionists.
Anti-Semitic propaganda flows like water through Egyptian and Palestinian curriculum from kindergarten through university as well as the media.
Egypt printed the Arabic version based on the 1905 Russian forgery, “Protocols of The Elders of Zio
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Gina F.
5:58 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Love your term “Iron Dome of Ignorance and Propaganda.” Defines it perfectly. Awaiting worldwide onslaught of indignation and shock from the world community when they “discover” that the “moderate” Mohamid Morsi is actually a rabid anti-Semite. Who knew?
I was impressed with the elegance of Kirkpatrick’s writing in framing Morsi’s beyond-extreme rant as ” standard stump discourse.” In everyday English this means that “nearly every citizen of Egypt speaks this way so it’s no big deal.” Another nugget: “Morsi and other political and Brotherhood leaders typically restrict their inflammatory comment to the more ambiguous category of ‘Zionists’” Hmmm….I didn’t realize “Zionism” was ambiguous.
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jzsnake
4:22 pm
Jan 15, 2013
I’m wondering if Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic commenting on it also spurred their coverage.
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jeb stuart
4:29 pm
Jan 15, 2013
I shared comments with someone yesterday who felt the “historic” right to live in Israel belongs to the Palestinians. I pointed out a number of historical discrepancies in his account of the Palestine Mandate but mostly noted that was history and this is now. The real problem in terms Americans might understand is that expressed by Morsi. The charters of Hamas and most “Palestinian” organizations contain the same sort of hate language how can a peace process, or two state solution, even get started when it is part of the Islamic cause to strip Jews of their humanity, and merely an means to a one state end? It is like a US constitution without the 14th Amendment.
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Phred
4:31 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Better late than never. If this can open up the main stream media to reality and replace sensationalism and manufactured ‘truths’ with good old fashion journalism and honest truthful reporting, it will be good. If the pen is, indeed, mightier than the sword, it should be wielded with equal or greater care. Words and the truth matter. The time for lies and burying our heads in the sand and shelling out billions of U.S. dollars to support governments and causes spewing vitriol and hate is over. Bravo for the NYT, even if only for one insightful article, hopefully the rebirth of good journalism and honest reporting.
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BUTSeriously
4:35 pm
Jan 15, 2013
The stand out issue here is, why doesn’t someone take these fake media before a court? They should be barred and penalized heavily, else we condone them with finger pointing and wrist slapping only. Their criminality is great – its like a doctor not reporting cancer because he has a right to exercise his non-speech. In actual fact it is far more insidious what these Liberal media are doing: a survey chart of what they failed to report just the past 5 years should seal their fate before any bona fide judge and get them where they belong – in Gitmo, for cuasing 100′s of 1000′s of Americn deaths and causing betrayer mode havo to the nation. Shut ‘em down – bar them from any media!
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Tuvia Fogel
4:37 pm
Jan 15, 2013
The dhimmi left-wing western media operates by the dogma ‘never criticize Islam’. Now the Muslim mind works like this: The Ko’ran is from Allah and cannot be criticized. Anti-Semitism is bad. Therefore, when the Ko’ran says Jews descend from apes and pigs, it is NOT anti-Semitism. It must be something else, but whatever it is it cannot be criticized. That is why, until shamed into it, the NYT did not consider it news. Simple, no?
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Julesg
4:52 pm
Jan 15, 2013
It is a great thing that Egyptians are living such wonderful lives and the country is in such good shape that their president can concentrate on stirring up hatred and violence in a place in which he has no authority. Don’t look here, look over there! Destruction rather than construction will do a lot for his beloved people. Somehow it often seems to work.
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BUTSeriously
5:04 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Egypt’s Clerics reently stated all Christian churches must be destroyed; it is ok to rape Christians.
Why are Christians not demanding a Copt 2-state in Egypt, where they are slated for genocide? Because they are too busy demanding serial 2-states in Palestine every 50 years – always acountng it as a 2-state in the same tiny land!
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PushBackNow.com
5:15 pm
Jan 15, 2013
We have posted this several times since 2010. We have had it up as a sticky for over a week now. http://pushbacknow.net/2013/01/13/morsi-calls-jews-pigs-apes-usa-is-egypts-enemy/ MSM is truly derelict and very dangerous.
Conservatives are invited to blog with us.
God Bless America, God Bless Americans!
PushBackNow.com
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Meira Svirsky
5:41 pm
Jan 15, 2013
“Better late than never” remains to be seen. The NYTimes article is a laundry list of apologies for Egypt’s Morsi, offering every explanation in the book excusing his comments.
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Sanych
6:21 pm
Jan 15, 2013
Morsi’s comments go to the core of the issue that is completely misunderstood in the West, including American public – who is a Jew.
It is a widely held view that only religious people that adhere to Judaism are Jewish.
Moris’s comments that Jews are “the descendants of apes and pigs” shows that for him and his ilk Jewishness is a genetic feature. It is very similar to the old-world definition of who is a Jew.
While I disagree with Morsi regarding our ancestors (I think he looks more like a pig than me), I have to agree with him that Jewish identity is defined by common ancestry and heritage.
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Robert Israel
6:24 pm
Jan 15, 2013
When making my first visit to Israel with my father in 1990. Israel
normalized its relations with Egypt and my father and I took the opportunity
To face a side trip to visit the wonders of Egypt. Glad I did then the
People were very friendly. Sorry this man being in power would make
me not feel safe in ever returning especially since my NAND is
“Israel”.
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Henry Federman
7:25 pm
Jan 15, 2013
I read the NYT online(I would not buy it) and when they have an article on Israel and sometimes it is not on Israel and it has nothing to do with it somehow a lot of comments turn to Israel, how the readers have a way of turning everything around amaze me. A few days ago there was an article on how they were looking for bullets and where they came from,after two years they found out that the bullets came from Iran,how the conversation turn to Israel and how they sell theirs to kill Palestinians . It had nothing to do with the article. Sometimes the comments are more interesting than the article itself.
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Sanych
7:38 pm
Jan 15, 2013
There is definitely more vitriol in anti-Israel comments not only at NYT website, but just about everywhere. There is no question that this is a new type of warfare, with ultimate goal of destruction of the only Jewish state.
That’s why efforts by people from Honest Reporting are so important. I hope that everyone who receives their updates has supported them with $$$.
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rosenberg
8:37 pm
Jan 15, 2013
It may be time for a New Jewish DEFENSE League. Morsi is another Hitler in the making. Rabbi DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
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Sydney Lumett
10:06 pm
Jan 15, 2013
No puedo creer que en pleno siglo 21 estos países retrógradas aun se encuentran en la era del oscurantismo. Oscurantismo mental y espiritual. Tanto sus líderes como sus ciegos seguidores son dignos de compasión. Solo unos cuantos tienen un criterio sano, y a esos los persiguen los suyos propios. Lo que no saben y NO QUIEREN ENTENDER es que Dios está con Israel, siempre lo ha estado y siempre lo estará! Quien podrá contra el Eterno Todopoderoso? Me río de ellos.
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Sydney Lumett
10:20 pm
Jan 15, 2013
TRANSLATION: I can not believe that in the midst of the 21st Century these retrograde countries are still remaining in the dark ages. Their darkness is mental and spiritual. Both, leaders and their blind followers, are worthy of compassion. Only a few of them have sound judgment, and those are persecuted by their own. What they do not know and WILL NOT UNDERSTAND is that God is with Israel, always has been and always will be! Who will fight and be victor over the Eternal and the Almighty? I laugh at them. (btw, I am a Christian and I am with Israel, the chosen nation of God.)
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Nudnik
11:09 pm
Jan 15, 2013
What the USA should do is to replace the 2$B in military aid to Egypt (against whom?) by the equivalent sum for infrastructure and civilian aid to the Egyptian people.
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Irv Dain
3:43 am
Jan 16, 2013
Reduce the aid to Egypt until they show respect for Israel
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Eric Roth
5:14 am
Jan 16, 2013
Thank you for sharing this illuminating video and helping shame the New York Times and the Obama administration into acknowledging Morsi’s deep, dangerous religious bigotry. The awkward reality that religious conquest remains the open agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood poses painful, difficult, and profound challenges to our hopes for a better, more humane, and peaceful future in the Mideast.
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