CAMERA’s Israel office today prompted corrections of articles at
The Jerusalem Post and i24 News which incorrectly reported that Israel imposed the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the year that Hamas came to power. The Sept. 12
Jerusalem Post article originally stated (“
Israel eyeing Gaza-bound ‘women’s flotilla’ setting sail from Barcelona“):
Meanwhile, Israel was prepared to thwart the flotilla from illegally infringing on the maritime blockade of Gaza, which was established in 2007 following the terrorist group Hamas‘s takeover of the Strip
The flotilla, which will be carrying dozens of women — including some Israelis — is intended to try and break through Israel’s naval blockade of the Strip, which has been in place since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007.
The maritime blockade was established in 2009. After the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas in 2007, Israel did introduce maritime zones off the coast of the Gaza Strip as part of efforts to reduce arms smuggling into the territory – for example see the Notice to Mariners No. 6/2008 of Aug.13, 2008 – but that is not the same thing as a naval blockade (which has a specific legal definition.
The BBC has repeatedly corrected this error in the past.
Editors at both media outlets commendably corrected the date promptly after CAMERA notified them of the error. The corrected Jerusalem Post article now states:
Meanwhile, Israel was prepared to thwart the flotilla from illegally infringing on the maritime blockade of Gaza, which was established in 2009, two years after the terrorist group Hamas‘s takeover of the Strip.
The amended i24 News article states:
The flotilla, which will be carrying dozens of women — including some Israelis — is intended to try and break through Israel’s naval blockade of the Strip.
However, contrary to commonly accepted journalistic practice, neither The Post nor i24 News appended a correction to the article alerting readers to the change.