Rockets Fall But Where’s the Coverage?
September 10, 2012 12:28 by Simon Plosker
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
This philosophical question could well be applied to the media’s treatment, or lack of, concerning the latest barrage of rockets to be launched from Gaza at Israeli population centers.
- Three Grad rockets exploded in southern Israel Saturday night and early Sunday morning, prompting Beersheba and Ashdod mayors to shut down the local school systems on Sunday.
- Three people were hurt while running for shelter and four were treated for shock.
- A Netivot home sustained extensive damage but, remarkably, a resident, alone at home at the time of the hit, was left unhurt.
But unless you are Israeli or follow the Israeli press, the likelihood that you have heard of the weekend’s events is close to nil. Despite the international media being around to hear the tree falling in the forest, it still made no sound as none of the major media outlets bothered to report on it.
Not the New York Times, which preferred to focus in great detail on Gaza’s poverty, omitting any mention of rocket fire. Not The Times of London, which insultingly published a trivial and irrelevant story on Israeli ultra-orthodox women adopting Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, as a fashion icon.
And not the BBC, CNN, LA Times or Washington Post.
Also unsurprising that smaller news outlets failed to note the weekend’s events considering that the Associated Press wire service that feeds stories to a huge number of other media, gave the story a mere five sentences.
You can bet, however, that any major Israeli military operation in defense of its citizens to put an end to rocket fire, that results in loss of Palestinian life, terrorists or otherwise, will make headlines.
Why is this important? In the eyes of the general public, Israel is perceived as the aggressor, striking out at Palestinians in Gaza with little provocation. Wouldn’t they see it differently if the media bothered to report on the fact that so far in 2012, terrorists in Gaza have fired at least 557 explosives at Israeli civilian targets?
Indeed, since 2001, Hamas and the other terrorist groups have fired over 13,000 rockets and mortars at Israeli towns and cities, killing dozens of civilians.
Just because this has been going on for far too long, it does not absolve the media from acknowledging that it is happening. Because without the coverage, the context behind the next story vanishes.
The likely result is one where, according to the media, It All Started When Israel Fired Back. Instead of giving an accurate timeline of events and a realistic assessment of cause and effect, the story begins with
This article is continued on Page 2
Motti
12:59 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Jewish blood for over two thousand years has been cheap and the slaughter of Jews has been commonplace. Therefore, a few more dead Jews here or there is nothing. We witness crocodile tears on memorial days recognising the shoah, yet the goyim are unprepared to contemplate the Jew can and will fight back. It is almost a case of “How dare you defend yourselves?”
We know the tit for tat exercise was started to show that the Jewish people are no better than the goyim. With charges of genocide agaisnt the Fakestinians, this is seen as efficient “proof” of this reasoning. This also helps to explain the goyim mentality of accepting Zionism is racism.
All will rebound on the goyim
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Leigh Halprin
4:18 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Commentary on the CBC website responding to reports by the news agency that Canada has severed diplmatic relations with Iran and eceived Israel’s thanks are illustrative. Rather than respond to Iran’s record, the posts focus on Israel as a rogue state that violates the rights of Palestinianns and murders Palestinian children.
Certainly many of these comments find their foundation in antisemitism. References, for example, to “the chosen people” and world control by Jews are not bona fide. There are, however, well intentioned people who have been manipulated by a biased media who might be more sympathetic to the plight of Israelis if the media properly described their plight.
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Len Abenstein
4:32 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Too late to try to educate the haters. believe that they already know. Education doesn’t do anything to stop people who haven’t already seen the truth in front of their own eyes already. Another news article won’t stop these animals from firing another rocket. It is time to stop them if they won’t. Let them see that if you don’t want to live in peace you will have to accept the pieces that you are asking for. I know that people in the USA would not care who was firing rockets into New York if they know it was coming from either Canada or Mexico they would defend themselves & as they say let the chips fall where they may. If you think that another article can then I fear it is to late 4 U 2.
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Len Abenstein
4:19 pm
Sep 10, 2012
I think that it is now our fault for not supporting the news of what is going on. I have been a Hawk for a long time I support the money for shelters in Israel but now I think that I am a fool. I should be supporting at least a threat that if these attrocities don’t stop we should send in the army on the mission of procuring safety for our citizens. If they can’t control there own people then we will have to. I can’t imagine living under this kind of threat if it were my neighbor here in Canada that was doing this to my home I can assure you I would not wait this long to respond. One last warning for all the world to hear & then take it to the courts of opinion & deal with the problem.
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shloime
9:48 pm
Sep 10, 2012
sorry, but i disagree. “send in the army” is much easier to say, from the states, than in israel.
in israel, “the army is us”. and based on the last round of fighting in gaza, far too many israeli boys died, for far too few terrorists killed, and nothing to show for it, a week or a month later.
destroying the settlements may have been a strategic mistake, but what’s done is done, and re-occupying gaza would be costly, and achieve very little.
the biggest obstacle to peace is the plo occupation of the territories, which was america’s idea, and forced onto israel, and america should be held responsible for “fixing” it, by eliminating the plo’s “legitimacy”, and ultimately, the plo itself.
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chizeled
4:20 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Mirian
5:48 pm
Sep 10, 2012
I am here in the states. MANY of us have been blasted on the blogs for saying the same things you are saying and more! Those were supposedly “Conservative blogs.” We have gone so far as to upload video(s) of Romney and still we are “banned” from the blog for telling the truth.
We have proved voter fraud in two different caucus(s). Romney appointed people took over other sites for Michelle Bachman and Newt Gingrich who were/are for Israel and getting the Muslims out of our Federal Government as well as State and local governments as well. We have “54″ Politicians in Washington D.C. who received $ from CAIR and HAMAS. That is, by itself, against our laws:
The Logan Act:
Any citizen of
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chizeled
4:21 pm
Sep 10, 2012
correct link:
http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/PDF/2012GOPPlatform.pdf
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Hank Arkin
4:37 pm
Sep 10, 2012
We have to stop and realize that reporting on attacks on Israelis does not cause attention or sell news papers. That is a fact. Every action causes a reaction. When a defensive Israeli shell hits in gaza and destroys a home, people scream, cry, rave, rant. This is an active act and the more emotional it is the more attention it brings. The arab propaganda machine has trained the media to look for the more explosive things. This sells media space and newspapers. Which paints a more emotional picture? An arab woman in a black dress and head covering screaming and crying, bounding her body with grief or an Israeli family digging out of the remains of a bomb attack. Paint your own picture
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Rockets Fall But Where’s the Coverage? « igatherum
4:38 pm
Sep 10, 2012
[...] http://honestreporting.com/rockets-fall-but-wheres-the-coverage/ [...]
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Mr New Jersey
4:46 pm
Sep 10, 2012
The firing of rockets into Israel never stops. The fact that it never stops makes Jewish life cheap. Why the hell doesn’t Israel halt payments to Gaza and give the money to Israeli victims along with taking small pieces of Gaza territory each time they launch rockets. This situation is intolerable.
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Sylvie Schapira
5:04 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Like all the above comments, I too feel enraged by the media war on Israel, the hate, the prejudice and the various other forms of anti-semitic/Zion/Israel ranting. Israel is the scapegoat; damned if they retaliate and damned if they don’t. All we can do is to keep writing protest letters to the media, try to get on those (dreadful) talk radio programmes, and have our voices heard. I know it is really hard to do this in the UK. With the Guardian and the BBC relentlessly casting Israel as the demon, most people believe this to be the ‘truth’. The most important thing is not to respond to abuse with abuse, or falsification with rage, but to state the facts.
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Yossi
5:12 pm
Sep 10, 2012
The lack of world news coverage of the missile attacks against Israel is such an old story that it’s hard to get excited about it any more. What more is there to say than what as already been said.
Now, if Israel would retaliate with a shock and awe counter attack for every missile launched, then we would see plenty of media coverage. Of course that would lead to an all out war and Israel is not looking for that option. The world will not fight Israel’s battles, either in the media or on the battlefield. It is up to us to be able to stand up and do what is right.
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jeb stuart
5:27 pm
Sep 10, 2012
The problem is worse than we think. It is probable that the medias reliance on Islamic reporters and intimidation of Middle East coverage complying with the Shariah Laws that prevent criticism of Islam. This has been a problem ignored since the beginning of the 20th Century. CA has had the sense to close the Iranian Embassy that was proven to have an Islamic missions program supporting the subversion of democratic institutions by advocating Shariah Law and making it illegal to criticize Islam, encouraging a population war with the end of elimnating non-Islamic institutions. This is going on with the support by inaction of the Obama administration in the USA and his way of making war.
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David Pinto
5:55 pm
Sep 10, 2012
The AP story gave FIVE paragraphs to a story that two rockets — not three — had
fallen.
And you have the chutzpah to complain about this?
You’re lucky the AP wrote anything at all.
Rockets have been fired for months on end.
There are plenty of wire editors who would have spiked this item.
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Norman Rosner
5:56 pm
Sep 10, 2012
why can’t i e-mail this article to multiple people with 1 click? Why do I have to enter each e-mail separately? Make it easier for us to spread the truth
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Stephen
5:58 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Thank G-d it is just Jewish blood that it is spilled in these rocket attacks from Gaza. Can you imagine the international outcry from “News” organisations such as the BBC or the Guardian if G-d forbid any Israeli Arab citizens were injured or worse still killed?
Can we see the headlines screaming “ISRAELIS USE ARAB CITIZENS AS HUMAN SHIELD!!! are there no depths to which those Israelis shall sink?
Sadlly this is just one more confirmation that we in the West cannot rely on much of the Western (European in particular) to provide the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
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Mirian
6:30 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Jeb, unfortunately, you are 100% Correct. I am in the U.S. and we have a Muslim in Our White House. He is VERY pro Muslim vs. Pro Israel. He got into office by voter fraud; and It is our fear that he has NO intentions of leaving even when he is beaten in the next presidential election. We are NOT very thrilled about Romney either. There is a great deal going on in the U.S. that many of us fear for Our Country.
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Steven Rayow
6:52 pm
Sep 10, 2012
We have followed a path that has led nowhere. When are our leaders going to realize there can be no negotiated or diplomatic solution with enemies that are sworn to our destruction and our western way of life. The name of Adolf Hitler, along with his final solution, has been the call to action for the enemies of Israel, America and the Jewish People for most of the 20th century to our present day. The “goose stepping” troops of the present day Nazi garbed in Arab dress, armed with 21st century weaponry must be taken seriously NOW!! We are destined to make the same mistake that was made in the days before WWII if we fail to believe the threats made against us are real or unattainable.
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solinski
6:52 pm
Sep 10, 2012
As I often said, cutting off water and elecricity supply from Israel to Gaza would probably stop rocket attacks once and for all.Reason for not doing it is probably economic
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Barry
9:42 pm
Sep 10, 2012
The reason for not doing so is due to the accusation of “collective punishment” being inflicted on the entire population as opposed to only those that cause the harm. This claim has been leveled at Israel many times and seems to be why they are careful to avoid this kind of action. But as far as I’m concerned, the collective population elected a terrorist entity into power and I for one would love to see more of a policy in keeping with what you advocate!! In fact, I think an even better solution would be “confiscating” 10 square miles of Gaza, for every rocket that falls in Israeli territory until they all live in a single square mile.
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Irene
6:55 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Everlasting G-d have mercy upon us for treating the Jews, Your chosen people, as if You did not care about them. Already in the beginning You warned us that we would have to pay darely if we ever treated them badly.
You, the King of the Universe, said that You loved them with an everlasting love, and that You would never abandon them. Only if day and night stopped following eachother would You leave them. That has not happened.
Surely, not all Jews are easy to handle, yet, you said that we should talk friendly to them, and tell them that THEIR G-d is King.
What can we say, who desperatedly needs Your mercy and forgiveness, if we don’t respect those You cherish?
G-d have mercy
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David Pinto
7:04 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Irene, your comment has nothing whatsoever to do with the issue of coverage of the rockets.
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Yossi
7:37 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Irene,
I appreciate your sentiments. It sounds like you are one of the Children of Noah who have a respect for G-d and the Nation of Israel. If more people felt the way you do, at the very least, Israel would get all the news coverage in a favorable light. Thank you.
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Motti
9:26 pm
Sep 10, 2012
Some years ago, I toured a beautiful building on top of Jerusalem, which the Israeli government vof the dayt allowed. If memory serves me correctly, it is a colleg to train adherents to the Mormon church. perhaps Mitt Romney might like to publicly mention this and show real gratitude.
It is never too late to educate those who want to be challenged. However, as it says in the Book of Proverbs, to corrrect a wise person, she/he will love you. but to correct the ignoramus and she/he will hate you. Is this not true today?
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