Tear Gas or A Palestinian Smokescreen?
January 11, 2011 16:55 by BackSpin EditorSee HonestReporting's latest critiques:
• Why does the media not show the same skepticism towards Palestinian libels as it does towards official Israeli statements? Tear Gas Or Palestinian Smokescreen? NY Times Takes Sides Against IDF
• Since when were tourists able to visit Jerusalem in a state of Palestine stretching from the Med to the River Jordan? "Travel Palestine" Tourism Ad Erases Israel
DJKA
6:29 pm
Jan 11, 2011
The Palestinian tourism website includes a “Code of Conduct for Tourism in the Holy Land” PDF, which contains this juicy tidbit:
“Jerusalem – the heart of tourism in the region – has been illegally annexed to Israel, filled with illegal settlements, besieged, surrounded by checkpoints, and encircled by the Apartheid Wall, all of which has resulted in the city’s isolation from its social and geographical surroundings.”
Really?
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Laura Goldmeier
6:36 pm
Jan 11, 2011
The article has also appeared on AOL and PRI (NPR) websites by Linda Gradstien. Urge a retraction of this article:
http://www.theworld.org/2011/01/03/death-in-west-bank-protest/
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Zvi Avidror
7:00 pm
Jan 11, 2011
when booking a tour of the Gaza wonderland dont forget to bring your personal helicopter.Robinson Ltd. has a bargain at $100000.Happy landings.
Zvi
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Jay Cohn
7:02 pm
Jan 11, 2011
How can one call the NYT plain LIERS – on the internet?
they are begining to be Treators not only to Israel but USA – just like Jane Fonda is a treator
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Stan Corbett
7:28 pm
Jan 11, 2011
There are in reality two separate Palestines, one operating in Gaza and the second in the West Bank. In 2007 there was a war between Humas and Fatah. The former threw out the later. Any negotiations with Fatah is futile since Humas will never agree to negotiate with people who are Jewish.
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isabel
7:33 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Along all History the people of Israel, has been as a sheep surrounded by seventy wolfs… but no matter how badly the situation has been, the Lord has been with us, as our keeper, He always keep us close to Him… which side do you want to participate? There is a place by His side to everyone, to every human being who truly loves Him. Enjoy us. Enjoy Israel.
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MJ
7:55 pm
Jan 11, 2011
The events surrounding the latest Palestinian blood libel against Israel is even worse than you describe.
First, and perhaps most importantly, Philip Crowley, an Assistant Secretary of State, in his press briefing dated Jan. 3 was asked about the death of Jawaher Abu Rahma. He stated, ” I believe at least one person was killed as a result of that. And I believe it’s being investigated.”
Crowley, in other words, has already bought into the Palestinian narrative by stating she was killed. He has yet to correct the record nor has any reporter from the State Department questioned him about the evidence presented by the IDF.
Second, Robert Mackey of the NYT allowed a comment to be posted which claimed CS tear gas was banned by international law. It clearly has not been banned and I wrote him to let him know it’s available for purchased by mail. That comment was published after several hours after it was submitted though the original comment is still up there.
Third, Robert Mackey allowed anti-Israel blogger Richard Silverstein to post one of his usual uniformed rants. In response I wrote Mackey and asked if he would allow a link to Barry Rubin’s piece which you quote in the article. He did publish that comment but did not alter or make any attempt to correct the one-sided information he had written on his blog.
Fourth, When another commentator posted the Jerusalem Post story on the findings of the IDF, he dismissed their reporting with the following justification:
“The Jerusalem Post, which as you know is generally more sympathetic to Israel’s government and military than some other news sources…”
In other words, the only sources Mackey will trust are those which are critical of Israel, never mind if the information those sources present are accurate or not.
Which brings me to point five, the role of Haaretz. Haaretz ran a story on the tear gas that is used by the IDf. The point of the story was that the IDF used a more toxic form of tear gas. That was blanket lie. The IDF uses CS tear gas, not CN which is indeed more toxic. That story has yet to be retracted by Haaretz.
Finally, another commentator linked to the IDF’s own website. Though that comment was published, Mackey has yet to update or retract a single word from his original post. For that matter, Isabel Kershner has yet to retract or correct and even to acknowledge the IDF version even after this information became available on their website.
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Barbara Stone
7:58 pm
Jan 11, 2011
As a journalist of long-standing – some would say too long! – I cannot answer the question you pose: Why is the Western media so hostile to Israel? Almost each day I read stories in the ‘respected’ UK media (allowances made for The Guardian and Independent, who will never compromise their uber liberal-Leftist sentiments, blindly favouring their view that Israel is an ‘occupying, colonial’ power)and am amazed. In the Daily Telegraph of 10.1.11 (see link to the story of ‘Israel demolishing a hotel in East Jerusalem’ -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/8249192/East-Jerusalem-hotel-demolished-by-Israel-damaging-chance-of-peace.html) the un-bylined writer makes no attempt to obtain a pertinent quote from an official Israeli source to add context or balance to the story.
I can only assume much of the pro-PA/Hamas reporting is as a result of the restrictions the Palestinians impose on Western journalists, who are required to have ‘permits’ to work on the West Bank. Reach your own conclusions on how a journalist gets ‘permission’ to operate in PA territory.
It would be a travesty if Israel resorted to similar ‘censorship’ – i.e. write what we want you to, or you’ll write nothing. But maybe this is the only route Israel can adopt to get its point over. Sadly.
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Harold Tobin
8:19 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Amazing. When the IsraelTourist Board submitted an advert inthe Uk showing Jerusalem it was refused. Double standards or what.
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Harold Tobin
8:19 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Amazing. When the IsraelTourist Board submitted an advert inthe Uk showing Jerusalem it was refused. Double standards or what.
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Harold Tobin
8:19 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Amazing. When the IsraelTourist Board submitted an advert inthe Uk showing Jerusalem it was refused. Double standards or what.
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Harold Tobin
8:19 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Amazing. When the IsraelTourist Board submitted an advert inthe Uk showing Jerusalem it was refused. Double standards or what.
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m
9:11 pm
Jan 11, 2011
I think not only the “palis” need a geography lesson, so does the National Geographic! How ironic is that?
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Jean Terry
10:44 pm
Jan 11, 2011
Why doesn’t the mainstream media realize Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East? Why are they so vested in painting Israel as the villain? The radicals there would be just as happy to kill them as they were to kill Daniel Pearl and others, regardless of how they spin the news.
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Steven Muller
10:46 pm
Jan 11, 2011
The Palestinian tourist ad is actually very cleverly worded, (until they get to the “country” part). Jerusalem is mentioned in the context of “history.” Yes, a century ago, Jerusalem was in fact, in Palestine. All the other cities listed by the ad are within the Palestinian territories. These territories can, in fact, be found somewhere between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River-technically accurate. Overall, however, I believe the Palestinian bid for the tourist dollar is a positive sign. If the Palestinians equate peace with profits there is hope for a solution.
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Saul
12:23 am
Jan 12, 2011
Remarkably, the recent attacks in Egypt, both around christmas and most recently, when an Egyptian policman climbed onto a bus, and shot 6 christians, killing an elderly man, has not made the news in any great detail. There is no outcry in the papers. But one palestinian woman’s death, no matter how questionable the “facts”, Israel is again vilified.
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maurice
1:28 am
Jan 12, 2011
Love to go visit palestine, what is the name of the airport or should i book with the next Peace flotilla.
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J Goldman
2:23 am
Jan 12, 2011
Israel must win the Public Relations War. The arabs learned from Goebbel-if you tell a LIE llong enough, people take it as the truth.
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Hank Arkin
3:18 am
Jan 12, 2011
The evil factions in this world have always been masterful at propaganda. Their lies have been used to propagate their evil, ignorant, and blind positions. Look to history to see what happened to Hitler, the Soviet Block and tyrants through the ages to see what will happen to the pathalogical, sociopathic people (and governments) that are trying to destroy the only true democracy and civilized country in the Middle East.
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Brent Pudsey
3:45 am
Jan 12, 2011
This is in poor taste. It is not right for marketers to lie and to ignore other sovereign nations.
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