New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context
October 18, 2012 13:37 by Simon Plosker
The Associated Press reports on a newly declassified IDF document allegedly calculating how many calories would be needed to avert a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities were accused of using such guidelines to use food as a pressure tactic against Hamas, a charge rejected by Israel, which stated that it had never acted on the document.
AP, to its credit, included some relevant context that would go some way to explaining why Israel would have instigated a blockade of Gaza in the first place (emphasis added):
The Israeli government imposed the blockade on Gaza after identifying it as a “hostile territory” in September 2007, three months after the takeover by Hamas, an armed, Iranian-backed group committed to Israel’s destruction. Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks and both Israel and the U.S. consider it a terrorist group.
In a government resolution on the blockade, Israel called for restrictions on the movement of civilians and goods in and out of the territory and to reduce the supply of fuel and electricity. The resolution, which noted repeated rocket attacks launched from Gaza, said Israel would strive “to avoid a humanitarian crisis.”
The New York Times and The Guardian both used AP copy for their own stories. Both of them edited the original however. Neither included the latter two paragraphs but look what happened to the first two paragraphs above.
The New York Times:
The blockade was imposed shortly after Hamas took over Gaza. Israel declared it a hostile territory in September 2007. Seeking to weaken the militants, it called for “severe restrictions” on civilians that included limitations on food.
Israel imposed the blockade after identifying Gaza as a “hostile territory” in September 2007, following the takeover by Hamas. The Israeli resolution said it intended severe restrictions on civilians.
See how in both cases the original AP paragraph has been edited down to omit reference to the background of Hamas, terrorism and rockets from Gaza. Also missing is the reference to Israel’s declared intention to avoid a humanitarian crisis.
In addition, both the New York Times and The Guardian omitted the AP’s original closing paragraphs that also add more context as to why Israel would be maintaining a blockade:
Construction materials are still largely barred from entering, on the ground that Gaza militants could use items such as pipes and concrete to attack Israel. A naval blockade also remains in effect, which Israel says is necessary to prevent weapons smuggling at sea. Exports remain heavily restricted.
“Israel never saw the people of Gaza as our enemy,” said Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev. “On the contrary, we saw them as victims of the extremist Hamas regime, a regime that places its very radical agenda above and beyond the interest of the people of Gaza.”
While the AP has produced a reasonably balanced report, the New York Times and The Guardian have both cut the context that may create a more sympathetic or understanding view of Israel’s actions.
Now why would they do that?
Send your considered comments to the New York Times - nytnews@nytimes.com – and The Guardian’s readers’ editor - reader@guardian.co.uk
Please consider clicking +1, Tweet, Like or linking to this article on your blog or website. This article is only effective if it reaches a large readership, especially through the Google search engine. Creating a link to this page with the text “IDF Gaza calories” helps this article reach the first page search results for the term.
Hans
11:27 pm
Oct 19, 2012
Why would they (New York Times and The Guardian) do that (cut the context and create a distorted view of Israel’s actions)?!…
.
To ask the question is the answer…
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
42 
0
Frank Adam
12:22 pm
Oct 20, 2012
Another example of how criticising Israel for the technicalities of war and diplomacy becomes a campaign against her very existence.
Iran and in Lebanon Hizbollah have declared policies to destroy Israel. Israel has never had a policy to destroy any Arab – or other state – and certainly no interest in destroying Gulf states which complicate the Saudi-Iran-Iraq triangle.
The calorie count given the WW II is the military datum line is a function of the ships and trucks to move the food. In the WW II and Cold War files and staff tables there are drafts of how many tons of various foods are required to feed a population by millions or totals at 2000cal or other levels per diem and the trucks.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
33 
1
martin
3:56 pm
Oct 21, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Agree or Disagree:
5 
15
New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context | Blogs about Israel aggregation
5:43 pm
Oct 21, 2012
[...] article can be viewed at New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context on [...]
Agree or Disagree:
2 
0
Brian Richard Allen
6:11 pm
Oct 21, 2012
…. New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context ….
Bears pooping in woods.
Pope’s a Catholic.
?? ??????? – Yom Yerushalayim – celebrated mostly by Jews!
Shalom! Shalom!
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
8 
0
Rob Vincent
6:34 pm
Oct 21, 2012
The answer to the question posed by the author above has three parts.
1 – The journalists are products of the liberal arts departments of major Western universities, which are lousy with Saudi money, who for this reason brainwash students to be anti-Israel.
2 – The newspapers are chronically failing business enterprises, being kept afloat by Arab petrodollar sugar daddies, who demand such treatment of Israel (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON).
3 – The journalists and editors are afraid of reprisals by Islamists if they treat Israel fairly. Call it the “Danish cartoon syndrome”. Arab/Moslem petrodollar sugar daddies are “good cops”, jihadists are “bad copts”..same result.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
35 
1
Rob Vincent
6:38 pm
Oct 21, 2012
In the comment above, in the last sentence, I wrote “bad copts”. THAT’S A TYPO. I feel very badly for the Copts of Egypt, who are being persecuted viciously by the Islamists now in control of Egypt. Obama, how can we ever thank you?
But the point being, outrageous journalistic treatment of Israel is driven by the same source from two directions, just like an old-fashioned protection racket. The oil sheiks show up with money to encourage journalistic organizations to promote their line…and if they don’t, the “hammer” can come down in the form of Islamist thug intimidation, or in other forms. Look what happened to Glenn Beck, who was kicked off of FOX for supporting Israel.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
25 
1
Robert
7:35 pm
Oct 21, 2012
Honest Reporting is simply exposing what amounts to an everyday Psychological Warfare Operation against Israel in particular and the Jewish people in general. Long ago the universities in America were taken over by “stealth marxists” and now “journalists” coming out of those same universities all have an anti-Israel view. Even worse, the Saudis long ago “bought out” all of the top universities as well, funding “middel eastern studies” departments with tens of millions of dollars. That plus the “Muslim Students Association”, founded and controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, acts as further propaganda brigades and “enforcers” against any pro Israel views. PsyWar. Call it what it is. Not “bias”
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
18 
1
Andres Valencia
11:24 pm
Oct 21, 2012
It seems like “the left” is bent on giving Israel’s and their own enemies an advantage.
But this is difficult to see for a person that just keeps on reading the printed media with their small diversity. It is crucial to open up the Internet to many more print readers.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
9 
0
Dale Schaan
11:49 am
Oct 22, 2012
The Israel hating leftards are gaining more control in media,universities, gov’ts and through their enforcers the Jihadists.I see only one thing that will save the free world from disaster. We must expose their lies and dirty tactics with Truth! The Jihadists religion is their weak spot. It is easy 2 disprove because they claim to have the same God as the Bible. Any scholar worth his salt can easily refute this, and show the hate and violence taught and carried out by their prophet. So we need fair and well publicized debates shown on net,TV and in schools that r open to truth. The reason they attack critics is they cannot intellectually defend their false faith! This is their Achilles heel!
Agree or Disagree:
3 
0
Dale Schaan
11:51 am
Oct 22, 2012
The Israel hating leftards are gaining more control in media,universities, gov’ts and through their enforcers the Jihadists.I see only one thing that will save the free world from disaster. We must expose their lies and dirty tactics with Truth! The Jihadists religion is their weak spot. It is easy 2 disprove because they claim to have the same God as the Bible. Any scholar worth his salt can easily refute this, and show the hate and violence taught and carried out by their prophet. So we need fair and well publicized debates shown on net,TV and in schools that r open to truth. The reason they attack critics is they cant intellectually defend their false faith! This is their Achilles heel!
Agree or Disagree:
2 
0
New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context | The Conservative Papers
12:58 pm
Oct 27, 2012
[...] text “IDF Gaza calories” helps this article reach the first page search results for the term. VN:F [1.9.20_1166]calculating…Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)topsyWidgetPreload({ "url": [...]
Agree or Disagree:
0 
0
Frank Adam
2:11 pm
Oct 28, 2012
Try for some history and whenever you are on a site or public platform call attention to the creation of the Moslem World as created by imperialist violence which these days has stooped so low as to shoot schoolgirls in Pakkistan and Indonesia.
Historically the expansion of the Moslem dominion was a matter of over 540 battles from Mohammed to the 19th century inclusive and they did demolish 30 000 churches in process apparently. Do rub in the Crusades were a response to Moslem expansion and violence rather than tolerance.
Agree or Disagree:
1 
0
A ? for the Irish - US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum
11:06 pm
Oct 30, 2012
[...] and flotilla for sure and will do from liebermann if he is let off his present day muzzle Oh? New York Times and The Guardian Starving Readers of Context | HonestReporting BBC's Boy Who Returned from the Dead (Is the Media Biased Against Israel?) – [...]
Agree or Disagree:
0 
0