According to The Globe & Mail’s Patrick Martin, “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could hardly conceal his excitement last week on hearing the news that Donald Trump had been elected U.S. president.”
His evidence for this insight into the Prime Minister’s private emotions? Nothing.
Martin’s only meager attempt to support this assertion is a generic statement in which Netanyahu welcomed President-elect Trump, referring to him a “true friend of Israel.”
Just two months earlier, Netanyahu used almost identical language while praising presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for her “friendship and support for Israel.” In October, a leaked email seemed to indicate that the Israeli Prime Minister might even have preferred Clinton as president.
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So how does Martin know what Netanyahu thinks and feels? Is he able to read the Prime Minister’s mind?
The Globe & Mail’s headline editor must also be a mind reader, because its headline says “Netanyahu elated at Trump’s condemnation of Iran nuclear pact.”
Elated?
The Globe & Mail’s evidence for this brilliant bit of clairvoyant insight?
Again…nothing.
In fact, Netanyahu has never publicly stated how he feels about Trump’s position on the JCPOA (commonly known as the “Iran nuclear deal”) nor has he ever used the words, “elated,” “excited,” or “unable to conceal my excitement” with respect to Trump or any of Trump’s positions on any issue, at all, ever.
In short: Patrick Martin has editorialized based on his own speculative opinions rather than any hard evidence.
This is journalism??
As if that isn’t enough, The Globe & Mail goes on imply that the entire Israeli government is characterized by “enthusiasm for Mr. Trump,” quoting two conservative Members of Knesset, Naftali Bennett and Aryeh Deri. These two politicians are leaders of only two out of the six parties that make up the ruling coalition.
In a stunning lack of balanced reporting, Martin fails to note that there are also numerous Israeli leaders from all sides of the political spectrum expressing critical opinions about Trump.
Like most of the world, there is no single consensus on Trump but Martin apparently doesn’t want to portray Israel as a vibrant democracy with a rich variety of opinions: so instead of reporting reality, he simply reports whatever he wants.
In addition to being baseless, Martin’s reporting is also illogical and inconsistent.
Towards the end of his article, Martin does an about-face, saying that “Mr. Netanyahu is not crowing about this political victory.”
So which is it? Is Netanyahu “elated,” and “hardly [able to] conceal his excitement,” or is he “not crowing?” Sorry Patrick Martin – you can’t have it both ways.
The Globe & Mail has rules, and Martin has violated them.
The Globe & Mail’s Editorial Code of Conduct states:
It is unacceptable to invent or falsify a quote, source, anecdote, detail or anything else pertaining to the news.
In violation of his employer’s policy, Martin has invented and falsified a wide variety of “facts” about the Israeli Prime Minister’s private thoughts, emotions and public positions, with no source or basis whatsoever.
It seems that when Patrick Martin has made up his mind to tell a particular story, he won’t let anything get in his way: not professionalism, not his employer’s own policies, not even the truth.
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