James Bennet

Journalists Fall Prey to Palestinian Booby-Traps

In the labyrinth of concrete homes and competing claims that mark Israel's operation in Gaza, the Los Angeles Times' Ken Ellingwood loses his way, straying from the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics in reporting a Palestinian claim as fact. He is joined in this by the Guardian's Chris McGreal on NPR.

UPDATED: New York Times Wrongly Claims No Injuries From Qassam Rockets

In a report published today ("Israeli Strikes Kill 2 Militants and a Girl"), New York Times correspondent James Bennet mistakenly asserted that no Israelis had been injured in Qassam rocket attacks. Contrary to the Times' claim, a number of Israelis, including infants, have been seriously wounded by Qassam rockets.

Terry Gross’s “Tit-for-Tat” Interview with James Bennet

On March 12, 2003, NPR's “Fresh Air” broadcast an interview with host Terry Gross and New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief James Bennet. Among other things, Gross asked Bennet about Israel's anti-terrorist actions in Gaza–but she didn't term them anti-terrorist actions. Instead, she repeatedly referred to “tit-for-tat murders,” drawing a parallel between Hamas's terrorist attacks against Israeli children and the Israeli army's attempts to root out the killers.