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CAMERA’s Israel office today prompted correction of a Times of Israel article which grossly overstated the number of Palestinians who died as a result of coronavirus. The June 19 article (“Israel records nearly 350 new coronavirus cases in one day, in first since April“) had erred:
Palestinian officials said the total number of cases stood at 795, of which 220 are active. Thirty-four people have died. Officials said new restrictions had been placed upon Hebron.
According to the World Health Organization, five Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem have died from coronavirus. According to Haaretz today:In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, 810 people tested positive; two people have died. In the Gaza Strip, 72 people were diagnosed and one person has died.
The disparity in the figures is due to the fact that in addition to the three Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza who died, there were another two Palestinian fatalities in Jerusalem, Israel, ie, not in the Palestinian-controlled territories.
In response to communication from CAMERA, Times of Israel today promptly corrected. The amended text now accurately reports:
Palestinian officials said the total number of cases stood at 795, of which 220 are active. Three to five people have died, according to WHO and Worldometer figures.
Contrary to common journalistic practice, a note is not appended to the article alerting readers to the change.