UPDATE
Following the publication of this critique and a request from HonestReporting, the New York Times has changed its headline and issued a correction at the foot of its article.
While the correction is a step in the right direction, it still, however, fails to address the primary issue covered in the critique that follows.
* * *
A Palestinian rock-throwing attack on Sunday night led to the death of Alexander Levlovitz, 64, as he lost control of his car and drove into a ditch. The attack took place in the East Talpiot neighborhood of southeast Jerusalem within the city’s municipal boundaries.
This is the New York Times‘ headline:
In its article, the New York Times refers to a “Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem.” Of course, stoning cars is wholly unacceptable wherever it takes place. Unfortunately, the dominant zeitgeist in the New York Times and other media outlets tends to create an ‘understanding’ of or excuse acts of terror if they happen to occur in areas that the media deems to be ‘Arab.’
In fact, the New York Times has previous form when it comes to acting as an apologist for Palestinian stoning attacks.
In this particular case, the Jewish victim was on his way home to a town within the Green Line i.e. he cannot be labelled as a ‘settler,’ and the incident occurred as he was travelling within Jerusalem next to a Jewish neighborhood. Yet the New York Times headline deliberately sets out to muddy the waters and is quite simply misleading.
In addition, the headline removes all Palestinian liability for the attack by virtue of its passive language.
The Jewish man did not simply “die” and rocks did not “pelt his car” of their own accord. Palestinian attackers were responsible for hurling those rocks at the car. Perhaps the New York Times might wish to consider the comments of Mr. Levlovitz’s son:
“I am in shock as I write this, but my dad was murdered yesterday, the eve of the holiday, when he was on his way home. He was killed by rock throwers. One stone changed the course of my entire life. Dad, I love you.”
A request has been sent to the New York Times to amend its headline. Watch this space.
