Tamar Sternthal

AFP’s Timeline of Bias

Judging by some of today's AFP reports, timeliness came at the expense of objective reporting. The timeline entitled "Major events in Palestinian history" whitewashes Palestinian Arab violence and responsibility for the conflict.

No Excuse for Ha’aretz Gaza Population Error

Ha'aretz, the Israeli daily newspaper relied upon by the Israeli elite as well the Western press corps, has printed for the second time in just over a month the same factual error. The second error appeared yesterday despite the fact that editors had already been provided with documentation refuting the erroneous claim.

Updated: The Globe and Mail’s False Witness

Carolynne Wheeler, a freelancer for the Globe and Mail, writes as if she were on the scene of  the Sharon-Abbas meeting, stating "Palestinian leaders left the meeting in Mr. Sharon's flag-draped residence in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City grim-faced." Only, she couldn't have been there, because the summit actually took place in the western part of the city, not the Old City. Other journalists have been fired pretending to attend events. 

The LA Times’ Contiguity Contortions

The Los Angeles Times falsely maintains that Palestinians will not be able to travel freely north and south in the West Bank once the Ma'aleh Adumim building plan is implemented. In fact, three routes are available for Palestinian travel in the area, and a fourth is on the way.

Truthful Media, U.N.-Style

Just like the U.N.'s 2001 Durban Conference Against Racism itself became a racist anti-Israel hate fest, the U.N.'s media seminar this week supposedly promoting sober, factual journalism about the conflict turned into platform for anti-Israel distortions and incitement.

CNN Tilts Sharon, Arafat Profiles

In celebration of CNN's first 25 years, the network collaborated with Time magazine to broadcast a special highlighting "the top 25 most fascinating people." Ranking 15 and 10 are Ariel Sharon and Yasir Arafat. CNN's treatment of the two leaders is itself fascinating because it gives disproportionate play to Palestinian grievances against Sharon, and downplays Arafat's terrorism.

Religious Tension and Shooting–But Little Press–in Bethlehem

An underage Christian girl from Bethlehem runs away with her older Muslim beau. Her outraged father tries to retrieve her and is turned back by armed men threatening to kill him. Bethlehem's Christians violently demonstrate, and Palestinian police shoot into the crowd, injuring more than a dozen. This all actually happened in Bethlehem, but you wouldn't know it from following the mainstream press.

‘Honor Killing’ or Robbery?

According to multiple media accounts, young Yusra al-Azami, an engaged student from Gaza, was executed several days ago in an "honor killing," and her fiancé and future-brother-in-law were brutally beaten by members of Hamas' "vice and virtue" unit. Ha'aretz, often considered Israel's "leading daily," passed the "honor killing" off as a robbery.