During the last two days, The Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, Waterbury Republican-American and likely other Connecticut newspapers have published "news" stories which are effectively biased, are infused with opinion inappropriate to a news article and present a very incomplete picture.
The publication of these articles help illustrate the need to constantly present the balancing viewpoints, through letters and op-eds, even during periods that seem relatively quiet. Please send letters to these papers at
Most of the articles refer the plans for building a handful of apartments in Israel's capital and are written from a perspective assuming the Arab complaints are perfectly reasonable, that America's pandering to those complaints is also perfectly reasonable.
Left out is any perspective, including the fact the building is in an area that has no chance of ever being turned over to the Palestinian Arabs under any conceivable agreement. There is not even a suggestion about the obvious fact that if the Palestinian Arabs had any real interest in reaching a peace agreement they would no more be making any fuss about building housing for Jews than Israel is making about the massive construction of homes for Arabs in the disputed territories, no less complaining about building in areas that are obviously never going to be under their jurisdiction.
The article in the Register refers to Vice President Joe Biden warning "actions that 'inflame tensions,'" in a manner that makes it clear it refers to the routine Israeli announcement about the building plans. There is no reference to actions taken by the Palestinian Authority, particularly regarding incitement, which really do inflame tensions and keep pushing any prospects for peace further and further away.
Included near the end of this email is a bulletin from Palestinian Media Watch
It appears (although it's not perfectly clear) from the PMW report that, under pressure from both Israel and America, the PA has either postponed or cancelled today's ceremonies. Regardless of whether this particular ceremony has been cancelled:
(a) The fact that the PA would even consider so honoring such a brutal terrorist (as it has honored many others) is a strong indication that it has no real interest in living together with Israel in peace.
(b) We have seen no reporting of this in any Connecticut newspapers. Actions taken by the Palestinian Arabs to undermine prospects for peace, and clear indications that they are not interested in peace, are obviously not considered newsworthy by Connecticut newspapers.
(c) However one feels about "settlements" or growth of communities, that's not what determines whether there will be peace negotiations. It's often used as an excuse by the PA to avoid negotiations, and it's waved about by some in order to exploit the issue's divisiveness, but the questions of peace negotiations and of a "two (or three or four)-state solution," which the Arabs may very well not want, involve much broader and more fundamental issues than the building of a handful of homes.
(d) Barry Rubin has a very cogent article about the building announcement. It may be viewed at
(e) It appears that Abbas has already reneged on his agreement to engage in even indirect talks. An update at
One final item on which some may wish to comment. The article in the Register refers to Biden reassuring the Palestinian Arabs that they "deserve a sustainable, independent state."
One wonders why it is necessary to keep insisting the Palestinian Arabs deserve a state, while few ever insist the Tibetans, Kurds or dozens of other stateless national groups with far longer histories deserve states. Could it be the way the Palestinian Arabs have made such effective use of terrorism? If so, what kind of message is that sending to other groups?
---
The following are the articles, followed by the bulletin from PMW.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Haven Register
March 11
Biden says Palestinians deserve viable state
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Vice President Joe Biden's displeasure over an Israeli plan to enlarge an east Jerusalem settlement was on display Wednesday as he warned against actions that "inflame tensions" and reassured his Palestinian hosts that they deserve a sustainable, independent state.
The Israeli plans have overshadowed Biden's visit and have drawn Palestinian accusations that Israel is not serious about peace. Israel apologized for embarrassing Biden with the timing of its announcement, but made clear it had no intention of reversing its plan.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterbury Republican-American
March 11
New settlement plans called snub to United States
BY KARIN LAUB AND STEVEN GUTKIN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
RAMALLAH, West Bank - An open diplomatic row during the visit of Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday emphasized U.S. failure to rein in Israeli settlement ambitions and deepened Palestinian suspicions that the United States is too weak to broker a deal.
Biden's handshakes and em braces gave way to one of the strongest rebukes of Israel by a senior U.S. official in years after Israel's announcement during his visit that it plans to build 1,600 homes in disputed east Jerusalem. Israel apologized for the poor timing but is sticking to its plan to build the homes, enlarging one of the settlements that have impeded negotiations with Palestinians.
The vice president on Wednesday assured Palestinians the U.S. is squarely behind their bid for statehood and urged the sides to refrain from actions "that inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of talks."
Israel's announcement was widely seen as a slap in the face to its all-important U.S. ally. It stirred significant anger among U.S. officials and wide spread skepticism about whether the Obama administration would have the courage or the backing to take Israel to task as the U.S. relaunches long-stalled peace negotiations. The future of those talks was called into question late Wednesday when the Arab League recommended with drawing support for them.
"This is a global message of American weakness and Israeli arrogance," said Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi.
The vice president's visit had been largely aimed at re pairing U.S.-Israeli ties strained over the issue now overshadowing Biden's trip: Jewish settlements. Palestinians and the U.S. consider settlements built on lands claimed by the Palestinians to be obstacles to peace.
Biden condemned the Israeli announcement and pointedly arrived 90 minutes late to a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel's response to the row - that no one meant to offend Biden - did not appear likely to put the matter to rest.
The Palestinians largely lost faith in the U.S. as a broker after Obama tried - and failed - to get the hawkish Netanyahu government to stop building on lands Palestinians claim for a future state.
Netanyahu eventually agreed to a construction slow down rather than a freeze, but that did little to mollify Palestinians.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hartford Courant
March 10
Jerusalem project blasted by Biden
VP: Israeli housing threatens peace talks
By Paul Richter
TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS
JERUSALEM - In the midst of a high-profile visit by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest-ranking Obama administration official to visit the country.
Biden, who had come to try to smooth the Obama administration's strained relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, instead denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem as a threat to the effort for peace.
"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now."
The events abruptly changed the tenor of the trip in its second day, just hours after the vice president proclaimed his love for Israel and declared enduring U.S. support. Biden's visit followed a year of tension brought on by Israel's defiance of the Obama administration's admonitions on housing settlements in disputed areas. In Washington, the White House added its own criticism. Aides said Biden raised the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a dinner in Biden's honor.
Israelis sought to downplay any relation between Tuesday's announcement and Biden's visit, saying the housing plans have been years in the making.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas de scribed the Israeli move as "dangerous" and said it would "torpedo negotiations and the American effort even before they start."
New Israeli-Palestinian negotiations had been scheduled to begin within weeks.
Tribune Newspapers' Edmund Sanders in Jerusalem and Christi Parsons in Washington contributed to this report. prichter@tribune.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hartford Courant
March 10
New nuclear plans
PARIS - Bitter rivals Israel and Syria both announced Tuesday that they want to pursue atomic power plants. The statements at a nuclear energy conference in Paris could complicate the diplomatic storm over Iran's nuclear program and fuel suspicion across the Middle East.
- Associated Press
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Haven Register
March 10
Israeli settlement plans complicate Biden visit
Associated Press
JERUSALEM - Vice President Joe Biden condemned Tuesday an Israeli plan to build hundreds of homes in disputed east Jerusalem - a disagreement that tarnished a high-profile visit that had been aimed at repairing ties with the Jewish state and kickstarting Mideast peace talks.
Israel's Interior Ministry said late Tuesday that it had approved construction of 1,600 new apartments, an embarrassing setback for Biden after a day of warm meetings with top Israeli officials.
Although ministry officials said the announcement was procedural and unconnected to the visit, a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was blindsided and tried to contain the damage at a late night dinner with Biden.
Nonetheless, Biden issued a harshly worded statement after the dinner, saying its timing was especially troubling by coming on the eve of a new round of U.S.-mediated peace talks.
"The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now," Biden said.
"We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," he added, warning that "unilateral action taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations."
Relations between Israel and the Obama administration have been chilly precisely because of the settlement issue, and one of Biden's main goals had been to try to patch up ties.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterbury Republican-American
March 10
Israel, Syria seek nuclear power
BY ANGELA CHARLTON AND STEVEN GUTKIN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PARIS - Is the Middle East about to go officially nuclear?
Bitter rivals Israel and Syria both announced Tuesday that they want to pursue atomic power plants, potentially complicating the diplomatic storm over Iran's nuclear program and fueling a widening web of suspicion across the Middle East.
In a region where few leaders trust each other to keep a nu clear program peaceful, Israel - which is widely thought to have a secret nuclear weapons program - is unlikely to accept Syrian assurances its program is civilian. Looming in the back ground, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates also have ambitions of nuclear power.
Israel's Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau dodged regional politics in announcing his country's intentions at a nu clear energy conference in Paris, painting them instead in earth-friendly tones.
"We need this energy source because it is environmentally clean," Landau told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference. Nuclear fission con tributes far less to global warm ing than burning of coal, but it worries many because of the risks of long-term waste storage and proliferation of potentially deadly nuclear technology.
Building atomic power plants would enable Israel to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels and meet its long-term energy needs. Such construction could also in crease pressure on Israel to open its facilities to inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which would shine a spotlight on an area the country has long kept secret.
The Jewish state is used to being accused of nuclear hypocrisy. It demands a nu clear- free Iran when no one doubts Israel has nuclear weapons of its own.
Charges of double standards could now intensify - making it harder for Israel to argue that Iran must open all its facilities to world scrutiny.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterbury Republican-American
March 10
U.S. condemns new Israeli construction
JERUSALEM - Vice President Joe Biden condemned an Israeli plan to build hundreds of homes in disputed east Jerusalem on Tuesday - a disagreement that tarnished a high-profile visit that had been aimed at repairing ties with the Jewish state and kickstarting Mideast peace talks.
Israel's Interior Ministry said late Tuesday that it had approved construction of 1,600 new apartments, an embarrassing setback for Biden after a day of warm meetings with top Israeli officials.
Although ministry officials said the announcement was procedural and unconnected to the visit, a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was blind sided and tried to contain the damage at a late-night dinner with Biden.
- Associated Press
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bulletin
March 11, 2010
Palestinian Media Watch
PMW exposure of naming of square after terrorist
leads to cancellation of event by PA
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Two months after
Below is the timeline of the Dalal Mughrabi Square story, showing how it grew over the last two months through PMW's reporting, with links to the PMW reports.
The following is today's story about the cancellation, which includes statements by PMW director Itamar Marcus about the danger of incitement, especially the turning of terrorists like Mughrabi into role models for children.
Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon:
"PA reportedly cancels ceremony to name public square after terrorist.
A security cabinet discussion on establishing a formal government mechanism to monitor Palestinian incitement was put off Wednesday for at least a week, a day before a ceremony scheduled in Ramallah to formally name a public square after Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist who led the 1978 Coastal Road massacre...
Israel has complained to the US administration about the naming ceremony, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly asked US Middle East envoy George Mitchell to convince Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel it. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 32nd anniversary of the attack, the worst terrorist incident in Israel's history, in which terrorists commandeered a bus and murdered 37 people, including 10 children. Mughrabi was killed during the attack. According to media reports quoting Palestinian sources Wednesday night, the PA has ordered the cancellation of the ceremony.
Itamar Marcus, the director of Palestinian Media Watch, which has been monitoring incitement in the PA for years, said that under the new initiative, Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, currently the director-general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry and formerly the head of Military Intelligence research and assessment division, will every three months issue an incitement report card.
'One of the biggest problems is the incitement, and how it creates heroes and role models for kids. The naming of the square is a clear message that whoever kills most Israelis is the greatest hero,' Marcus said.
Marcus said his organization has been in contact with Kuperwasser, the director-general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry, and discussed creating an index that would quantify the incitement.
'The message that is important to get across is that without peace education there cannot be peace, and if you teach and promote hatred there cannot be peace,' he said.
The following is the timeline of the Dalal Mughrabi Square story:
Dec. 31, 2009: PMW releases story of PA's intention to name square after Mughrabi
Jan. 7, 2010: PM Netanyahu protests PA's honoring Mughrabi to the US
"Today, and a week ago, senior officials from the Prime Minister's office conveyed a protest to the US against Mahmoud Abbas... that the governor of Ramallah named a square in her [Mughrabi's] honor."
[Israeli News Channel 2]
Jan. 10: PM Netanyahu opens cabinet meeting with criticism of PA's honoring Mughrabi
"Whoever sponsors and supports naming a square in Ramallah in honor of a terrorist who murdered dozens of Israelis on the Coastal Road - encourages terror."
[Galei Zahal, (IDF radio), Jan. 10, 2010]
Jan. 11: PMW reports that PA Minister of Culture, Siham Barghouti, rejects Netanyahu's protest
"Honoring them this way [by naming places after Martyrs] is the least we can give them, and this is our right."
[Al-Ayyam, Jan. 11, 2010]
Jan. 17: PMW reports that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas rejects Netanyahu's protest
"I do not deny [the naming]. Of course we want to name a square after her [Mughrabi]... [We] carried out military activities; can I then later renounce all that we have done? No, I don't renounce it."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 17, 2010]
Feb. 3: Ashraf Ajrami, former PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, defends naming
"[PA] talk about Shahids (Martyrs) is considered, from their [Israel's] point of view, extremism and support for terror... Likewise, naming a square after Dalal Mughrabi is [according to Israel] reason for criticism and attack."
[Al-Ayyam, Feb. 3, 2010]
Feb. 25: Mahmoud Al-Aloul, General Commissioner for Recruitment and Organization, emphasizes importance of naming
"Mahmoud Al-Aloul, member of the Fatah Central Committee and General Commissioner for Recruitment and Organization, emphasized that it is important to continue commemorating the memory of the Shahids (Martyrs) and the Palestinian acts of heroism, and most importantly the anniversary of the Martyrdom of Dalal Mughrabi, heroine of the Coastal Road operation [terror attack], which falls on March 11th each year."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 25, 2010]
March 7: PMW reports that PA daily announces date for inauguration of square
"The El-Bireh Municipality has completed construction work at the Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi Square ... and has commenced preparations for its inauguration this Thursday, the anniversary of Mughrabi's Martyrdom... City Council member Aida Abu-Ubeid said that the square is considered a symbol of the sacrifice of the Palestinian woman. She also noted that flowers and trees will be planted there, and that a picture of the Shahida Dalal Mughrabi will be placed at the center of the square."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 7, 2010]
March 9: Israeli Information and Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein asks PM Netanyahu to involve US in canceling the inauguration, as reported in Haaretz:
"The square is to be dedicated tomorrow with senior PA officials in attendence, and Information and Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein has asked Netanyahu to approach the American administration about stopping the event."
[Haaretz website, March 10, 2010
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1155420.html]
Yesterday, March 10, 2:00 p.m.: Abbas rejects PM Netanyahu's demand to cancel the event:
Initial radio reports indicate that Abbas has rejected PM Netanyahu's demand to cancel the event, conveyed via the US special envoy George Mitchell. Later reports now claim that Netanyahu's office is "waiting to see" if Abbas will cancel:
"Sources in the Prime Minister's Office said that Israel is waiting to see whether Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] will cancel the event. Senior political personnel have said that if the Palestinians want peace, they must educate towards peace."
[IBA website, March 10, 2010
http://www.iba.org.il/bet/?entity=625801&type=1]
Yesterday, March 10, 3:00 p.m.: Israel hopes the US will condemn PA naming of square after terrorist
"Israel is now demanding that the Vice President [Biden] at least condemn the [PA] incitement - a topic Israel has complained about before but now the PM has personally raised the issue with Vice President Biden. The Palestinians plan to name on Thursday a square in Ramallah for terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist who participated in the hijacking of what is known as the "blood bus" in 1978 [in which 37 were killed]. The PA is calling her a Martyr and national hero. Israel protested to the US over this two months ago and the Americans turned to the Palestinians but the Palestinians are continuing with the inauguration [of the square to the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi]. Senior officials in Jerusalem tell me [Udi Segal] they expect the United States will raise this issue today with the Palestinian Authority, and Israel is hoping at the very least for a strong American condemnation of this incitement."
[Israel Channel 2 TV news]
Yesterday, March 10, 5:00 p.m.: Reuters reports PA will cancel the naming of square after terrorist
Reuters by Ali Sawafta
RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 10 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority ordered on Wednesday the cancellation of a ceremony to honor a woman who led a 1978 hijacking of a civilian bus in Israel in which 35 people were killed.
The cancellation of Thursday's ceremony coincided with a visit to the occupied West Bank by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who met with Palestinian leaders as part of Washington's efforts to revive the moribund Middle East peace process.
Three Palestinian officials involved in organising the event to honour Dalal al-Mughrabi, killed in the Palestinian attack, said Israel told the Palestinian Authority to cancel the ceremony at which a traffic circle near Ramallah was to have been named after her and a memorial plaque unveiled.
Yesterday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.: Fatah announces it will not cancel ceremony. [Israeli radio]
Today, March 11: "PA reportedly cancels ceremony to name public square after terrorist." [Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon]
"A security cabinet discussion on establishing a formal government mechanism to monitor Palestinian incitement was put off Wednesday for at least a week, a day before a ceremony scheduled in Ramallah to formally name a public square after Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist who led the 1978 Coastal Road massacre.
The security cabinet is likely to discuss the incitement monitoring mechanism in the near future.
Israel has complained to the US administration about the naming ceremony, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly asked US Middle East envoy George Mitchell to convince Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel it. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 32nd anniversary of the attack, the worst terrorist incident in Israel's history, in which terrorists commandeered a bus and murdered 37 people, including 10 children. Mughrabi was killed during the attack. According to media reports quoting Palestinian sources Wednesday night, the PA has ordered the cancellation of the ceremony.
Itamar Marcus, the director of Palestinian Media Watch, which has been monitoring incitement in the PA for years, said that under the new initiative, Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, currently the director-general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry and formerly the head of Military Intelligence research and assessment division, will every three months issue an incitement report card.
'One of the biggest problems is the incitement, and how it creates heroes and role models for kids. The naming of the square is a clear message that whoever kills most Israelis is the greatest hero,' Marcus said.
Marcus said his organization has been in contact with Kuperwasser, the director-general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry, and discussed creating an index that would quantify the incitement.
'The message that is important to get across is that without peace education there cannot be peace, and if you teach and promote hatred there cannot be peace,' he said."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like some feedback, send a draft of your response to Mark Fishman
In composing a response, please avoid attacking the writer and refer directly to the item as little as possible, since such references remind readers of the allegations. Try to stress the shared values of America and Israel and the great efforts and concessions Israel has made in pursuit of peace.
Todah Rabah.
--
Email Addresses for Letters:
No comments:
Post a Comment