CAMERA Prompts AP Correction on Palestinian Return Center

CAMERA’s Israel office prompts correction of a June 2 Associated Press article which erroneously stated that the Palestinian Return Center received consultative status at the United Nations. Last month’s article, by Cara Anna and Fares Akram (“NGO threatens legal action against Israel over Hamas claim”) had erred:
The Palestinian Return Center this week was granted consultative status at the United Nations, prompting Israel’s U.N. mission to protest that the organization is associated with Hamas and “promotes anti-Israel propaganda.” . . .
 
On Tuesday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s office announced that Haniyeh had called the NGO’s leader, Majed al-Zeer, and congratulated him on its new U.N. status. (Emphases added.)
Last month, the United Nations committee recommended that the Palestinian Return Center receive consultative status at the U.N.; it did not grant the NGO consultative status.
 
The AP’s coverage yesterday of the U.N. decision which did actually grant the organization consultative status underscored the error in last month’s article. Thus, yesterday’s story by Edith M. Lederer accurately reported (“UN approves accreditation for Palestinian Return Center“):
The United Nations approved U.N. accreditation Monday for the London-based Palestinian Return Center in a defeat for Israel which claims the organization is affiliated with Hamas and “openly promotes terrorism.” . . .
 
Last month, the U.N. committee that accredits non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, recommended that the center’s application be approved.
Following communication from CAMERA, AP editors quickly published this commendable correction yesterday:
 
In a June 2 story about an organization called the Palestinian Return Center, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the group was granted consultative status at the United Nations. The move was a recommendation for consultative status, not the final decision, which came Monday when its accreditation was approved.
 
A corrected version of the story is below: . . .
 
The Palestinian Return Center this week was recommended for consultative status as the United Nations, prompting Israel’s U.N. mission to protest that the organization is associated with Hamas and “promotes anti-Israel propaganda.” . . .
 
On Tuesday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s office announced that Haniyeh had called the NGO’s leader, Majed al-Zeer, and congratulated him on its recommended status.
The AP correction appears on a number of news sites, including The Washington Post and ABC News.
 
For additional Associated Press corrections prompted by CAMERA, please see here.

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