Why 1948 Matters More Than Ever
The competing "narratives" about the War of Independence lie at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict. If, as the Arabs and most Europeans believe, Israel was born in original sin, if the Jews really did ransack placid Arab villages, then Arab hatred for Israel would be understandable, as would their fundamental refusal to really make peace.
But the Arab narrative is wrong – Israel was not born in original sin. Once the Arabs finally face the facts, a peaceful end to the conflict might be possible. 
Philip Weiss of the anti-Israel blog Mondoweiss and MJ Rosenberg of Media Matters and the Huffington Post, tried to excuse slandering supporters of Israel as "Israel Firsters" by claiming Abram Sachar, founding President of Brandeis, used the term in 1960. But Sachar was referring to Israelis who thought that only in Israel could a full Jewish life be lived. His refererence was not even remotely concerned with dual loyalties. 
Jodi Rudoren’s recent friendly tweets to extreme anti-Israel activists were no aberration. More than 10 years ago she was already at it, failing to display the kind of journalistic objectivity that even a cub reporter should know was a basic requirement of her profession. 
The March 8th edition of the New York Times inexplicably placed on the front page above the fold "Mideast Din Drowns Out Palestinians," featuring an inflammatory photo apparently showing Israeli soldiers firing rifles at “Palestinian stone-throwers.” But that's not what the photo actually showed, and this was only the beginning of the report's problems. 
According to a report by Ethan Bronner of the New York Times, Israel imprisoned a Palestinian child merely for "throwing stones and hanging Palestinian flags from telephone poles." In fact the teenager in question was convicted for attempted murder and possession of explosives. 
Palestinians may indeed be frustrated with more than 18 years of on-again, off-again negotiations, but the question is with whom should they be frustrated – Israel, or their own leaders, such as Mahmoud Abbas, who have consistently fumbled opportunities to end the conflict with Israel and create a state of Palestine? 
Under international law Israel has the right to blockade Gaza and stop any flotilla or boats heading there because Hamas has created a state of armed conflict by launching more than 10,000 rockets and mortars into Israel targeting and killing civilians. Despite this, Israel still allows inspected food and other humanitarian goods into Gaza. 
"Jerusalem Outings Go Beyond the Biblical," a New York Times travel article, was yet another example of the decline in standards and the absence of fact-checking at the country’s – if not the world’s – leading newspaper. For example, former PM Ariel Sharon was said to be "implicated" in the Deir Yassin "massacre." Sharon, of course, took no part in the Deir Yassin battle. (The Times ran a partial correction after being contacted by CAMERA.) 
President Obama's speech at the State Department on May 19 outlined his administration’s policy in the Middle East and North Africa, making some clean breaks with what had been key elements of US policy in the region for decades.