Israel and the Palestinians: just utter the words and everyone has views, opinions, biases and points of view. I have no problem with that … we live in a free society, where everyone can form opinions, take sides … even happily ignore facts that might weaken their own positions. That’s our right!
But when it comes to REPORTING, my blog readers know I find it repugnant and inexcusable when the news media descend into delivering little more than biased propaganda, especially on the Middle East: whether it’s the National Post; BBC World; or Fox News.
Last week, The Georgia Straight published a piece of anti-Israeli trash that, in my view, comes closer to the type of “journalism” we would expect from newspapers in Syria, Libya or Iran .. rather than what we should be able to count on in a Canadian newspaper .
Under the headline “Gaza shocks Nobel laureate”, the story recounts a Gaza visit by well-known anti-Israel pro-Palestinian crusader, Ireland’s Mairead Maguire. Maguire was in Vancouver to speak about “her experiences with the Free Gaza movement” .
Now I have no problem at all with Maguire holding the views she has …or expressing them!!
But the Georgia Straight article advancing her visit should NEVER have made it by the newspaper’s editors into the pages of the paper … unless they too have lost all their respect for neutral factual reporting.
For example, the reporter … not Maguire … explains Hamas was elected in 2006 and that since then , “Israel has enforced a blockade around Gaza, restricting the movement of goods, according to UN reports” .
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t that blockade have something to do with Hamas bringing in “construction” materials like pipe and nails etc that ended up being returned to Israel in the form of rockets trying to maim and kill Israelis?? But NOT A MENTION at that point of any of these facts.
Instead, next there was this: “In December 2008, Israel launched an assault on the Gaza strip, killing 1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians. Thirteen Israelis also died in the conflict.”
Still not a single word about the MORE THAN A THOUSAND ROCKETS that the Palestinians had fired into Israel … killing, maiming and scaring the hell out of ordinary citizens … including children, women, seniors … for more than a year BEFORE the Israeli attack occurred.
How can anyone consider it fair journalism to mention any army assault or the start of a war anywhere in the world without mentioning what led up to it? Or is it excusable only when trying to portray the Israelis as evil?
And it got even worse.
The Georgia Straight “story” … phew, it stinks even to use that word in this case … then goes on to state that a UN report found both Israeli and Palestininan forces committed war crimes during the conflict.
Sounds fair? Well, read the rest of that paragraph…
“The report accuses Israel of deliberately using “disproportionate force” and of imposing a blockade which amounted to collective punishment, and charges that Israel’s military operation “was directed at the people of Gaza as a whole’.
Still, not a word about how the UN report condemned Hamas for all those rockets fired into Israel and the way they killed, injured and terrorized the population there. This is exactly how biased propaganda works: LOTS of selective quotes condemning one side; while overlooking those pesky details or quotes that expose war crimes by the favored side.
The “reporter” then goes on to quote an interview the report’s author Judge Richard Goldstone gave Aljazeera saying Israel had punished and terrorized civilians.
And FINALLY a single line: “The report also condemns rocket attacks by Palestinian groups”.
Fair coverage and reporting? NOT in my view. And unworthy of the Georgia Straight.
True, towards the end of the article there were quotes from the Vancouver head of the Canada-Israel committee, explaining that in Israel, the fear of rocket attacks remains. Far too little and far too late.
And even that is immediately followed by quotes from an organizer for Maguire’s speaking engagement denying that any rockets had been fired. Have my eyes or the news reports (even on BBC World!) been deceiving me?
You decide.
But again, this is NOT about the Mid East conflict: take whatever side on that mess that you want. THIS is about fair journalism and respectable reporting. And I believe YOU, as a reader, were insulted by the one-sided trash the Georgia Straight foisted on you as reporting in that article.
In fact, I urge you to read the story … just click here … if you want to see what I would describe as a perfect example of biased journalism .. that deserves to be exposed, and condemned. No one who believes in fair reporting should let this one go without comment.
Shame on the Georgia Straight.
Harv Oberfeld
10 responses so far ↓
1 Crankypants // Sep 30, 2009 at 11:32 pm
It sounds as if this reporter is bucking for a job with the Mainstream Media. Should fit right in with the crowd covering the legislature.
Or is is that this reporter was trained by the reporters covering the legislature.
2 wstander // Oct 1, 2009 at 12:20 am
I’ve read the article now, and I have decided that maybe you need to take a Valium.
First a rant about a 7/11 store because they won’t take back your bottles.
Then a rant about the Squamish First Nation because as you drive 0ver the Lions Gate bridge and look down on where they live it doesn’t please your aesthetic sensibilities.
And now a rant against a Georgia Straight reporter who writes a story based on her interview with a Nobel Peace Prize winner (fact), but whom you describe as “a well known anti-Israel, pro Palestinian crusader” (opinion).
The position of Maguire can be summarized in her own words from the article:
“I lament every single life, but you can’t really make a comparison here,” Maguire told the Georgia Straight from Northern Ireland. “Israel has a war machine which is supported by the American government and the Palestinians have homemade rockets….We’re talking about David and Goliath.”
Since you rant seems to be based on the fact that an article about Magurei does not meet your version of the facts, what facts in the above quote do you disagree with.?
(Response: By the way, if you re-check the blog on 7-11, you’ll see the update noting I was contacted by 7-11 and received an apology and assurance they WILL take bottles again, in accordance with company policy! So hundreds of customers were helped by my rant .. a lot more than your silence would have accomplished. You see, my Blog IS about opinion and interpretation and offerings of ideas/issues for discussion. If you think that article is fair “reporting”, it says a lot about your willingness to accept or lack of ability to discern propaganda from news … and that is your problem, not mine. h.o.)
3 Henri Paul // Oct 1, 2009 at 12:41 am
I think there are bigger issues on the horizon for
Israel ,Im referring to that nut job that’s running Iran.
(Response: Actually, Iran’s rockets would reach Europe and U.S. bases in the Gulf … indirectly threatening the entire world. And if he hit Israel even once, they would obliterate all of Iran … and the fallout will go around the world …so I think the world will have to act ..hopefully sooner than later. But the point of this blog was more about fair reporting than the crisis we are facing. h.o)
4 Wilson // Oct 1, 2009 at 12:51 am
Nice work Oberfeld. That dish rag has been waiting to be exposed for a mighty long time. Hell a third grader could point out that a few thousand rockets being lobbed over the fence is going to get some attention from the other side. You should go back to work and set the record right. !
(Response: I’m retired. Can’t you tell? And read my response to your Squamish blog note … I can do no more .. lest they even kick me out of Tim Hortons!! h.o.)
5 wstander // Oct 1, 2009 at 1:07 am
The act of dangerous, threatening Hitlers — NYT Sept 28,2009:
Iran was reported Monday to have test-fired long-range missiles capable of striking Israel and American bases in the Persian Gulf in what seemed a show of force.
The acts of a peace-loving democracy – Telegraph, January 18, 2008:
Israel has carried out the successful test launch of a long-range, ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, in what was intended as a clear show of strength to Iran.
Please help me to discern “propaganda from news” with this one.
(Response: I don’t buy the alleged Headlines… but sounds to me like those stories were very accurate. Don’t you get it? Stories should tell it like it is ..not just the way the writer ..or biased reader..wants it to be. h.o.)
6 blaffergassted // Oct 2, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Complicated stories such as the Middle East problem have many sides.
And it is impossible for a single news story to include every fact and all points of view.
(Response: Of course, no single story can contain every fact etc .. but it a VERY BASIC building block of news reporting is Point/Counterpoint. For example … Country A launched a full out attack after Country B refused to stop firing rockets. I realize there is a limit about how far you can go back.. such as WHY did Country B fire rockets etc. BUT this piece, I feel, was totally out of line in being so devoid of fairbess and even basic reporting standards. To say it’s ok …is to denigrate our own standards for truth. h.o.)
7 LM // Oct 3, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Interesting article. My comment is how you, the reporter , say “killing, maiming and scaring the hell out of ordinary citizens … including children, women, seniors … “. The only “ordinary” citizens left without a specific mention were the men. I guess it’s not as bad if only men are killed and maimed?? ANY human being killed or maimed is tragic. I don’t think you needed special mention to children and women .
(Response: You’re absolutely right. I think I fell into the common cliche trap that children women and seniors are somehow more vulnerable than men, who are usally the combattants, which of course is wrong. Everyone bleeds equally ..I should have just said civilians …who should NEVER be targetted by either side in a war. h.o. )
8 A. G. Tsakumis // Oct 4, 2009 at 10:05 am
Are you really surprised by this old boy?
The fantasists in the mainstream media, like this sorry chap who wrote the piece of trash you refer to, are all anti-Israeli, anti-American wingnuts, who have a permanent hate-on for Israel in particular. If Jews were dope-smoking, guitar twanging, sandal wearing no-minds, it would be impossible to get hammered by the MSM…simply as a professional courtesy.
The Straight and the Tyee are the bastions of the left, far-left, that are all usually bleeding hearts for hardcore activist Palestinian causes, regardless of if they result in Israeli deaths.
FACT: Macguire has often made statements in the press that are (in the writers, view .. h.o.) clearly anti-Semitic. She isn’t just anti-Israeli. She’s sick in the head.
FACT: The “journalist” in question keeps citing UN reports, two of which, have been proved inaccurate, one of which has been discounted because it was written by, surprise, a Palestinian, who was clearly anti-Israeli.
FACT: One well-respected watch group confirms that over 10,000 rockets have flown over to the Israeli side in the last seven years. But fairly reporting this requires some integrity. You won’t get it from some staffer at the Straight. Not possible.
The sad reality is that there are very few of us willing to stand up for Israel, because there is an entire, “pacifist” lot of anti-war/industrialization/G8/America/Israel, etc, etc, etc….
It’s the same crew every time.
Long live Israel and it’s battered but not beaten people.
9 A. G. Tsakumis // Oct 4, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Also, Israel began a major military attack against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in defense of her position. Faced with the ongoing and increasing attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians in Sderot and towns in the south, Israel is doing what any democracy would do during an invasion of their citizen’s lives: Defending her citizens’ right to live in peace and security. Even as operations against Hamas proceed, Israel is doing its utmost to avoid harming civilians and is coordinating the supply of humanitarian goods to Gaza’s citizens.
Think of it: Faced with yet another attack, a spirited defence AND efforts to provide aid for the unintended and unfortunate casualties of war.
When’s the last time you heard of Palestinian “aid efforts” into Israel?
10 Third generation B.C. // Oct 7, 2009 at 3:29 am
tsakumis
wow talk about the pot calling the kettle black sir, you are spewing all the usual rhetoric of the bushites and religious right.
Fact both sides in this conflict are wrong and this dates back to 1947 for some and earlier for others, if you want to talk about media bias it is the msm that is in my opinion guilty of the most bias.
How do you justify using d.i.m.e.s. and white phosphorous on a civilian population in close quarters? War crime anyone?
Look at the numbers, what 10 Palestinians for every Israeli killed. What about the little girl who went to jail rather then join the army to kill Palestinians or the elite commandos who refused to kill civilians or the fighter pilots who refused to attack gaza?
Are you kidding, Palestinian Aid Efforts into Israel??? With what the Israelis levelled their homes took their orchards and fields and gave them to the settlers in a lot of instances.
There are sane people on both sides of that conflict who want peace and unfortunately there are also war mongering fanatics on both sides who are getting more attention from the msm.
Harvey, I am very aware of media bias in this province and it was happening when you were around.(long before you actually) I watched it then cause I couldn’t go online and find differing viewpoints to form my own opinion.
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