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Israeli media freer than US on conflict
04 Dec 2008 10:56:00 GMT
Written by: Andrew Stroehlein
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I sometimes get stunned looks from Americans when I tell them that, as far as the Arab-Israeli conflict is concerned, the Israeli media are much freer than the US media. But if you spend even a little time looking at the Israeli papers online, you'll quickly realise the range of debate and discussion on the Middle East is far wider there than in the mainstream American media -- and most of the non-mainstream US media too.

For those who don't have the time for a full media comparison, just have a look one article: an editorial in today's Haaretz newpaper, entitled "Standing up to Jewish terrorism". In it, the paper argues:
For a long time now, settlers in Hebron and other areas of Judea and Samaria (and East Jerusalem) have engaged in unruly behavior whose only goal is to violently threaten the Palestinians while undermining Israel's sovereignty. By any official standard recognized worldwide, this is terrorism that sows fear and disrupts the proper management of a state.
I cannot imagine those words -- or that title -- in a major US newspaper. Israelis are able to talk about these issues openly, even provocatively, while Americans seem to feel they have to be more pro-Israel than Israelis themselves. It's very odd, and I cannot immediately think of a parallel with any other conflict in the world.




 

 



 

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3 responses to “Israeli media freer than US on conflict”

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  1. samia qumri says:

    i simple agree here ..as far as the pal-israeli conflict is concerned i wonder why the USA takes the pro-israeli stand..i can't imagine one article condoning an incident or calling on certain israeli's acts as 'terrorism'!!

  2. Shimshon says:

    I do not know any other country that lets the press walk as freely around as Israel does even in time of war or conflict.

  3. oxi says:

    Funny they claim to be free yet why do they bar international press from within Gaza?

    Is it to hide their brutal ground offensive or crush any pictures that could sway world opinion?

    Sure Hamas may fire rockets that rarely hit anything vital yet Israel pounds targets with bombers and artillery and destroys whole neighborhoods and the world accepts this type of behavior?

    Shame on us all!

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Journalist Andrew Stroehlein is Communications Director for the International Crisis Group, the conflict resolution organisation, where he promotes responsible coverage of current and potential conflicts and helps draw attention to forgotten wars around the world.
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