Alex Safian, PhD

December 19, 2005

Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs (2005)

BBC/PBS Documentary Produced and Directed by Norma Percy 150 minutes
This BBC documentary spares no effort to portray the Palestinians as blameless victims and the Israelis as heartless oppressors. Ignoring most Palestinian terror attacks, and blaming the eventual Israeli response to those attacks for the demise of cease-fire efforts, is just one of the many techniques used by the filmmakers in their tendentious effort to indict Israel.
September 17, 2005

New York Times Reports Palestinian Obligations as Israeli Demands

In his story on upcoming Palestinian elections, "Israel to Disrupt Palestinian Vote if Hamas Runs," (Sept. 17, 2005), reporter Joel Brinkley portrayed as a unilateral Israeli demand what is in fact a Palestinian obligation under the Oslo Accords to bar terror groups from elections. In a further display of bias Brinkley ignored all other Palestinian obligations under the various peace plans as well, but did note an alleged Israeli violation of the Road Map.

September 9, 2005

The New York Times Sort of Corrects Distorted Rice Interview

In a stunning reversal, with no admission of error, the New York Times has withdrawn its claims that after the Gaza withdrawal the Bush administration will demand further imminent concessions from Israel, and is now reporting the opposite.

August 27, 2005

New York Times Interviewers Cook Rice Statements

When New York Times reporters Joel Brinkley and Steven Weisman interviewed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a few days ago, she apparently didn't say what they wanted to hear regarding Israel. So the enterprising reporters twisted her words to fit their own political agenda.
August 15, 2005

Evangelical Lutheran Vote Update

Delegates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), meeting in Orlando this past week, passed an amended anti-Israel resolution titled "Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land." While the resolution was approved 668 to 269, many delegates and lay members of the church seemed to be offering only tepid support, as indicated by a much closer subsequent vote on a motion to "reconsider."

August 14, 2005

Why Palestinians Still Live in Refugee Camps

Sometimes it seems myths about the Gaza Strip are endless. With Israel disengaging, now is a good time to do some myth-busting:  Let's start with the fact that it was the PLO and the UN which forced Palestinians to stay in refugee camps, not Israel. In fact, Israel actually built homes and neighborhoods in Gaza for Palestinian refugees but the UN condemned Israel's efforts, demanding that the refugees be returned to their hovels. The PLO, for its part, wasn't so subtle – it threatened to kill any refugee who dared to move.

July 15, 2005

Beware of Apparent Hoax E-mail from “Hasidic Jew” Celebrating London Bombings

An e-mail message celebrating the London terror bombings from a self-described "hasidic Jew," has been sent to members of the British Parliament and was also cited on the blog of the left-wing British newspaper, The Guardian. While the e-mail seems to be a hoax, it is important to note that even if it turns out to be genuine, the writer speaks only for himself, and in no way represents any segment of the Jewish community of the United States or Britain.

July 11, 2005

New York Times Reports as Fact Anti-Israel Propaganda

Covering the recent controversy over building and demolition orders in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem, New York Times reporter Christine Hauser credulously repeated false allegations from the extremist anti-Israel group which calls itself the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions.