Tim McGirk, Time Magazine's Jerusalem bureau chief, has once again replaced objective reporting with advocacy journalism, this time promoting opponents of archeological excavations in the City of David in an article entitled “Archaeology in Jerusalem: Digging Up Trouble.” 
With the Toronto Star and Time Magazine correcting a hoax quote, and a feature story in the Toronto paper, the falsehood is wiped from the record. (But not all corrections are created equal.) 
The tragic story of Khaled Abed Rabbo and his three daughters – reportedly executed by an Israeli soldier – appears in many outlets. Yet, the numerous accounts are inconsistent and are contradicted by earlier Palestinian reports. 
In Time magazine's virtual world, Gaza has no Qassams, is surrounded by Israel and a concrete wall, and the U.S. and Israel urge the beating of women protesters — and this alternate reality is passed off as news. A Feb. 5, 2007 Time Magazine article by Jerusalem bureau chief Tim McGirk on Israeli settlements in the West Bank was not so much a news report as anti-settlement agitprop. 
It is wrong to treat a partisan activist as a credible and objective expert. Yet Time turned to Jimmy Carter for its book on the Middle East. In celebration of CNN's first 25 years, the network collaborated with Time magazine to broadcast a special highlighting "the top 25 most fascinating people." Ranking 15 and 10 are Ariel Sharon and Yasir Arafat. CNN's treatment of the two leaders is itself fascinating because it gives disproportionate play to Palestinian grievances against Sharon, and downplays Arafat's terrorism.