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Reuters Headline Fail: Netanyahu “Threatens to Shoot” Stone Throwers

UPDATE Within minutes of the publication of this post, Reuters has amended the headline, which now reads: * * * This Reuters headline makes Benjamin Netanyahu sound like Dirty Harry: Is the…

Simon Plosker
September 2, 2015
12:00 am

Reading time: 2 minutes

UPDATE

Within minutes of the publication of this post, Reuters has amended the headline, which now reads:

* * *

This Reuters headline makes Benjamin Netanyahu sound like Dirty Harry:

Is the Israeli PM really threatening to shoot children throwing stones?

The official government statement that Reuters also refers to, states the following:

Since the legal system is finding it difficult to deal with stone-throwing by minors, changing open-fire orders regarding the throwing of stones and firebombs will be examined, as will be the imposition – by law – of minimum sentences for those who throw stones and firebombs.

While Netanyahu has said: “The policy is zero tolerance for stone-throwing and zero tolerance for terrorism,” how does this translate into a threat to shoot Palestinian minors?

It doesn’t.

Reuters’ headline is inaccurate and inflammatory.

And even though the security discussions call for increased action to deal with stone throwers, it’s worth reminding ourselves that stones and rocks can be deadly too.

We are contacting Reuters to demand that the headline is changed. Watch this space.

Featured image: CC BY Samuel M. Livingston via flickr with modifications by HonestReporting

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Tags: distortion of facts, headline bias, Lack of context, Reuters, stone throwing, success

Simon Plosker

With over two decades of experience in various non-governmental organizations in the UK and Israel, Simon Plosker returned to HonestReporting in October 2022 as Editorial Director having previously been part of the organization’s management team from 2005 to 2020. Prior to his first spell at HonestReporting, Simon worked in Israel for NGO Monitor, BICOM, and served for a short period in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. He was Managing Editor of the Geneva-based NGO United Nations Watch for two years before moving back to the frontline defending Israel from media bias. Simon has a BSoc.Sc in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics. He immigrated to Israel in 2001 from London.

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