Times Gets Its Geography Confused

I was rather surprised to see The Times of London's latest article (subscription only), which refers to "the West Bank…

By May 23, 2011

I was rather surprised to see The Times of London’s latest article (subscription only), which refers to “the West Bank settlement of Modi’in“. As a resident of Modi’in for several years, I know that my home is located within Israel “proper” and is certainly not a West Bank settlement. Journalist Sheera Frenkel is presumably referring to the Haredi city of Modi’in Illit, located a few kilometers away just over the Green Line.

Did Frenkel really get confused as to where she was reporting from or did the editors in London simply chop off half the name of a city without realizing the geographic consequences? Either way, it amounts to shoddy journalism.

Update

Following an e-mail to Sheera Frenkel, the main body of the text has been corrected although the byline next to Frenkel’s name hasn’t.

© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025

Simon Plosker

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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