Amira Hass must really like false charges that Israel is stealing Palestinian water, since she keeps on repeating those false charges, requiring us to repeat their refutation.
National Geographic's Parting the Waters, about Israeli and Palestinian use of water really just parts from the truth. To cite just one of many deceptions, it leads readers to believe there are no Palestinian swimming pools – like the one pictured above, in Jenin.
Amnesty International's Troubled Waters – Palestinians denied fair access to water, recycles old and false anti-Israel charges, condemning Israel's supposed use of Palestinian water. But, in fact, Palestinians are using Israeli water. Typically, Amnesty also claims that Israeli settlements have luxurious pools while Palestinians are parched. Again, Amnesty is dead wrong – Palestinians have pools galore, including this one in Jenin, shown in the photo at left.
In recent years press accounts have charged Israel with unfairly and illegally draining water from "Palestinian aquifers," enabling Israelis to enjoy green lawns, clean cars and full swimming pools, while leaving Palestinians with barely enough to drink. The facts say something else.
CAMERA prompts New York Times and Haaretz corrections after both media outlets wrongly reported that Israel's decision to cut electricity to the Gaza Strip impacted a wastewater treatment plant. In fact, the lone affected facility was a desalination plant.
After horrific mass terror attacks by Hamas, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a “complete siege” of Gaza: "There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed." Because some have mistakenly interpreted this to mean that Israel supplied -- and is now cutting off -- all of Gaza’s water, electricity, and food, it's important to layout the facts.
When it comes to reporting on the Middle East, Foreign Policy magazine has shown a carelessness with facts, preferring anti-Israel narratives instead. Several recent report, including one on Christians in Hamas-ruled Gaza, are littered with omissions.
Amira Hass solely blames Israeli restrictions for a shortage of water pipes in the Gaza Strip, and falsely credits the Gaza authorities with "major efforts" to improve the infrastructure. She conveniently overlooks the well-reported fact that Hamas digs up vast quantities of water pipes and converts them into rockets.
The Washington Post's reporting on the Israel-Islamist conflict has fallen back to a well-worn habit: infantilizing Palestinians. Recent Post reports have taken to treating Palestinians as perpetual victims, depriving them of independent agency.
Foreign Policy magazine claims “one reason the Palestinians swiftly rejected the flawed U.S. peace plan was that it does nothing to address their claims for water rights.” But there's no evidence to suggest that this is the case, and plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.
PBS depicts Yasmin Khan as committed to building connections, concealing the cookbook writer's past activity promoting an anti-Israel boycott meant to divide, not unite. Other falsehoods in the promotional interview include a question about a dish that Palestinians have eaten for "thousands of years."
AFP's basic premises -- that young eager swimmers in Gaza have nowhere to practice besides the polluted coast and that the athletes are so desperate that they swim in waters that hardly anyone else would dare enter -- just don't hold water.
As The Los Angeles Times promises truth, accuracy and quality journalism, CAMERA calls on editors to either substantiate or retract the dubious claim that the flow of water into Gaza is facing increasingly severe restrictions.