Monday
Jan052009
US coverage of Gaza War
Issandr El Amrani
Industry watchdog Editor & Publisher:
[From UPDATED: Media Commentary Muted as Israel Invades]
NEW YORK (Commentary) Israel launched its much-anticipated invasion of Gaza on Saturday. For over a week, U.S. media had provided largely one-sided coverage of the conflict, with little editorializing or commentary arguing against broader Israeli actions.
Most notably, after more than eight days of Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket launching in Gaza, The New York Times had produced exactly one editorial, not a single commentary by any of its columnists, and only two op-eds (one already published elsewhere). The editorial, several days ago, did argue against the wisdom of a ground invasion - - but even though that invasion had become ever more likely all week the paper did not return to this subject.
Amazingly, the paper has kept that silence going in Sunday's paper, with no editorial or columnist comment on the Israeli invasion. The Washington Post did manage to work up an editorial for Sunday which, in the usual contortionist manner, found the invasion "justified" but also highly "risky."
[From UPDATED: Media Commentary Muted as Israel Invades]
Reader Comments (4)
I had to watch CNN sitting in a waiting room and was appalled at the way the coverage of Hamas and Gaza was framed. It's a factose-intolerant zone out there, not the slightest pretence of balance or anything - all Hamas rockets and self defence and not a single picture of civilian casualties (and even Prophet Obama rah-rahed Israel and said he'd do the same if someone rained rockets on his daughters in his house). And yet my American friends say this is the most Arab-sympathetic coverage of Israel-Palestine they've seen in recent years (makes you wonder....)
Interesting piece by this US rabbi... in UK press though:
"It breaks my heart to see Israel's stupidity"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5446519.ece
Is the land more important than it's people. I think not. Can you imagine if both sides started to understand that people count. Resourses are wasted on weapons rather than improving life. Poverty in the world and life on earth should be the goal not war and killing.
free palestain free GAZA we want peace...