The New York Times Rewritten

The bias in New York Times news coverage of Israel is a routine occurrence, appearing both in obvious ways, for example, with factual distortions, and in more subtle ways, with reporters coloring news stories with opinion. (See, for example,  “A Guide to NYT Advocacy Journalism: Focus on Jodi Rudoren“)  

How could these stories be written without the slant? As a case in point, CAMERA rewrote a November article about sectarian conflict over the Temple to convey the story in a more journalistically objective and accurate manner. 

Below we continue the exercise by presenting two versions of passages in New York Times news articles published in the past several days. The left column presents the original passage as published in the New York Times. The right column displays CAMERA’s edited version.

            
 
Leader of War Crimes Inquiry Into ’14 Gaza Conflict Resigns
By Somini Sengupta, Feb. 3, 2015

His decision to resign came against a backdrop of resilient anger in the Israeli government over what it considers prejudicial attitudes at the United Nations over the Israeli military’s conduct during the Gaza conflict, in which Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets into Israel and the Israelis attacked targets in Gaza with bombs and missiles.

 
 
Nearly 2,200 Palestinians, including more than 500 children, were killed, according to the United Nations, with 100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. On the Israeli side, six civilians and 67 soldiers were killed.

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A Strained Alliance
By Peter Baker and Jodi Rudoren, Jan. 31, 2015
 
The diplomatic break touched off by Mr. Netanyahu’s decision to negotiate an address to Congress without first telling Mr. Obama is about much more than a speech. It reflects fundamentally different world views between the leaders of two longtime allies: an American president eager for a historic rapprochement with Iran and an Israeli premier nursing an existential fear of a nuclear-armed enemy.

It has not gone unnoticed in Jerusalem that a veteran of Mr. Obama’s campaigns, Jeremy Bird, is working with two policy groups in Israel that, while not supporting a specific candidate, are not friendly to Mr. Netanyahu.
 
——–
 

Boehner’s Invitation Is Aiding Obama’s Cause on Iran
By Jeremy W. Peters, Jan. 29, 2015

Three Democratic representatives were circulating a letter to the speaker among their colleagues on Wednesday. It was already picking up additional signatures.

The letter accuses the speaker of harming American foreign policy and undermining Mr. Obama… Getting lawmakers to go on the record criticizing the prime minister [of Israel] will be complicated, however, because many Democrats fear antagonizing Mr. Netanyahu, the powerful pro-Israeli interests aligned with him, and Jewish voters in their districts.

——–
 

Hezbollah Kills Israeli Soldiers Near Lebanon
By Jodi Rudoren and Anne Barnard, Jan. 29, 2015

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s hard-line foreign minister, who has been faltering in the polls, called for ”a very harsh and disproportionate” response.

Isaac Herzog of the Labor Party, Mr. Netanyahu’s prime challenger, who was touring the area at the time of the attack, said that ”if anyone in Hezbollah believes that during elections we can be threatened and divided, he is gravely mistaken.”
 

The 2006 war, with about 1,000 Lebanese and 160 Israeli fatalities, was widely viewed as a disaster.

Leader of War Crimes Inquiry Into ’14 Gaza Conflict Resigns
By Somini Sengupta, Feb. 3, 2015

His decision to resign came against a backdrop of anger in the Israeli government over what it considers prejudicial attitudes at the United Nations over the Israeli military’s conduct during the Gaza conflict, in which Palestinian terrorists fired thousands of rockets into Israel and the Israelis responded with airstrikes on targets in Gaza.

Note: An online correction was subsequently posted noting that thousands, not hundreds of rockets were fired.

Nearly 2,200 Palestinians were killed, according to the United Nations, of which 52% were terrorists and 48% civilians, according to the Meir Amit Intelligence
and Terrorism Information Center.
100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. On the Israeli side, six civilians and 67 soldiers were killed.

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A Strained Alliance
By Peter Baker and Jodi Rudoren, Jan. 31, 2015
 
The diplomatic break touched off by House Speaker Boehner’s invitation to Mr. Netanyahu, and the latter’s acceptance, to address Congress without first telling Mr. Obama is about much more than a speech. It reflects fundamentally different world views between the leaders of two longtime allies: an American president anxious to make a deal with Iran and an Israeli premier who fears a nuclear-armed enemy.
It has not gone unnoticed in Jerusalem that a veteran of Mr. Obama’s campaigns, Jeremy Bird, is working with two policy groups in Israel that, while not supporting a specific candidate,are working to oust Mr. Netanyahu.
 
——-
 

Boehner’s Invitation Is Aiding Obama’s Cause on Iran
By Jeremy W. Peters, Jan. 29, 2015

Three Democratic representatives were circulating a letter to the speaker among their colleagues on Wednesday. It was already picking up additional signatures.

The letter accuses the speaker of harming American foreign policy and undermining Mr. Obama…The lawmakers did not go on the record to criticize the prime minister [of Israel] .

 
 
 
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Hezbollah Kills Israeli Soldiers Near Lebanon
By Jodi Rudoren and Anne Barnard, Jan. 29, 2015

Avigdor Lieberman,Israel’s foreign minister from the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party,  who has been faltering in the polls, called for ”a very harsh and disproportionate” response.

Isaac Herzog of the left-wing Labor Party, Mr. Netanyahu’s prime challenger, who was touring the area at the time of the attack, said that ”if anyone in Hezbollah believes that during elections we can be threatened and divided, he is gravely mistaken.”

The 2006 war, with about 1,000 Lebanese and 160 Israeli fatalities, is seen as having ended inconclusively.

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