CAMERA Prompts LA Times Headline Correction on Israeli Use of Live Fire

CAMERA’s Israel office prompted correction this week of a Los Angeles Times headline which falsely claimed “Israel will allow police to fire live ammunition at protesters,” as if the Security Cabinet’s recent decision enabled police to open live fire on those waving flags and shouting slogans.
 
 
In fact, “the cabinet agreed to back legislation to allow live fire in any case in which lives are endangered,” as reported widely, including Haaretz.

 
In a news release following the Security Cabinet meeting in question, Prime Minister Netanyahu was quoted as saying:
First, we sharpened the open-fire orders. Until recently police would open fire only when their own lives were in danger. As of now, they will be permitted to open fire – and they will know that they have the right to open fire – when they face danger to any lives.
Indeed, even The Los Angeles Times article accompanying the erroneous Sept. 25 headline got it right, and quoted Netanyahu’s statement about the new regulation allowing police to open live fire in the event of danger to anybody’s life, not just their own.
 
In response to communication from CAMERA yesterday, Los Angeles Times editors immediately changed the headline to the more accurate wording which now appears online:
 
 
In addition, the following “For the record” is appended to the end of the article:
 
 
Hat tip: Stephen A. Silver
 
For additional Los Angeles Times corrections prompted by CAMERA, please see here.

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