Jerusalem Post editor Bret Stephens has an article this morning questioning the media’s use of the term “disputed” to describe matters such as Shaba farms (Northern Golan), which was attacked this week yet again by Hizbullah:
The fact is, Syria and Lebanon jointly pretend the Shaba farms are Lebanese in order to furnish Hizbullah with a pretext for continued attacks on Israeli targets. By calling the farms “disputed,” Reuters and AP only lend credibility to what should be described as a fraud.
Stephens goes on to probe how Israel’s very right to exist has come to be termed controversal, not only by the Arab nations, but now by Westerners as well:
Israel’s existential legitimacy has been widely assailed for years – but that came, or comes, mainly from Arab, Islamic and Soviet corners. By contrast, Israel’s critics in the West usually confined themselves to arguing about Israel’s borders. As for the rightness of the Zionist dream itself, that was ideological territory upon which they dared not trespass…Now that’s changed. A line has been crossed. With the media’s help, Israel has become “controversial.”
An important article. Look for more on this matter in an upcoming HonestReporting communique. Sign up on the HR homepage to receive communiques as they’re released.
