Catch the bias

al-Reuters luuuuvs the Palestinians ... almost as much as it hates Israel.

Here's a news photo, if ever I saw one.

Tzacha, the granddaughter of Abu Jihad, a Palestinian fisherman from the al-Mawasi area, stands next to boats at the Jewish settled area of Gaza Strip in this picture taken May 19, 2005. Al-Mawasi was once a centre of relative prosperity in Gaza. That ended when Israeli forces, fighting a Palestinian uprising, cut off the community by extending a settlement security cordon around it to deny militants a beachhead for attacks. But after years of isolation from jobs, markets and relatives in the rest of Gaza, al-Mawasi's 7,000 Palestinians see relief on the horizon with Israel's planned withdrawal from the occupied territory in August. Picture taken May 19, 2005. To match Mideast-Gaza-Enclave. REUTERS/Nir Elias

Are we all very taken by this fetching foto? Are we all sufficiently softened by this smiling girl and the fact that her grandfather is a [noble and innocent] fisherman? Okay, with that romanticization nailed down, let's move on.

Catch the bias in the caption: "relative prosperity in Gaza ... ended when Israeli forces ... cut off the community" [causing] "years of isolation from jobs, markets and relatives ..."

Yes, Reuters admits that those Israeli forces were "fighting a Palestinian uprising," but they also perpetuate the notion that the uprising was itself a noble battle, aimed at ending the years of occupation, isolation, lack of prosperity, blahblahblah. The associated feature article is even worse:

[The Palestinians] hope that the days will soon be over when they can only gaze glumly from their decaying community, where donkey carts outnumber cars, at thriving settlements.

And this:

Israel slammed the door shut in 2001, soon after the uprising began, when an al-Mawasi labourer killed his settler employer.

Those evil Jews, letting mere murder get in the way of Palestinian communities which no doubt would otherwise have flourished. Argh & Grrr. "His 'settler' employer."

Oh, and btw, all the Palestinian propaganda I've read says that the Palestinians don't have access to the Jewish-controlled Gaza beaches, so whassup with these:

Palestinian fishermen from the al-Mawasi area drag their boat out of Mediterranean waters at the Jewish settled area of Gaza Strip in this picture taken May 18, 2005.

A Palestinian fisherman from the al-Mawasi area, placed at the Jewish settled area of Gaza Strip, casts his fishing net into the Mediterranean shore in this picture taken May 18, 2005.

I know all this sounds petty and unfair, but have you ever seen a "news" photo of Israeli Jews just going about their business? Just a pretty girl leaning against a boat? Go search at Yahoo News Photos for "Israeli" - you'll soon see what I mean.

I found an Israeli girl, but she's not leaning against a boat, she doesn't look too pretty, and they (Reuters again) don't even call her Israeli. She's just a "Jewish settler girl" --

A Jewish settler girl injured by Palestinian stone throwers lies in the ambulance near an entrance of newly established Jewish settler's outpost near Shirat Hayam settlement in the Gush Katif settlements block in the Gaza Strip June 28, 2005. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on June 28 the 'wild behavior' of ultranationalist Jews bent on scuttling his Gaza pullout plan posed a threat to Israeli democracy and would be stamped out. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

It was no "ultranationalist Jew" who bloodied this child's face, but it was "wild behavior" indeed, and Sharon would do well to stamp it out.

Am I angry? You're damned right I am. I take sides and I don't want my side to lose in this Existential and Everlasting Arab War on Jews. That "Jewish settler girl"? She's my daughter, my mother, my aunt, my cousin, my granddaughter, my niece, and my nextdoor neighbor. And the boy-men throwing rocks at her? They're my enemy. Not because of Who they are. And not because of Where they are.

Because of what they DO.

Comments

[RR]

The caption should have read: “Mawasi was once a centre of relative prosperity in Gaza. That ended when Israeli forces, fighting a Palestinian uprising [that occurred in response to Israel’s offer of a Palestinian state on 100% of Gaza and 95% of the West Bank, with a capital in East Jerusalem], cut off the community [to stop terrorist attacks and nightly mortar shells] by extending a settlement security cordon around it to deny militants a beachhead for attacks.” According to a September 27, 2003 report in the Washington Post, “In the case of Mawasi, several terrorist attacks have been carried out against civilians in the Gush Katif settlement by Mawasi residents or with their assistance, according to the military spokesman's office. ‘Mortar attacks on Gush Katif, which take place almost nightly, have killed one soldier, injured a child and inflicted heavy damage to the settlers' property and peace of mind,’ said Eran Sternberg, spokesman for the settlement's regional council. "During the last few years, we've had a lot of difficulty living here," Sternberg said. "Every night, we know we will get another burst of mortar shells." . . .

[muse]

great post

[alex]

please go fuck your self you son of bitch

[paul]

support for pelestinian intifada...came on palestine...fight...fight and fight..till end of your day...heaven waiting for us there...

[paul]

support for pelestinian intifada...came on palestine...fight...fight and fight..till end of your day...heaven waiting for us there...

[Simone Riva]

The Arabs(Muslims) believes in a (SORT) of Heaven where's A WIMP and ALTOUGH PEDOPHILIAC'S LOOKS LIKING-Muslims-GOD And the "faithful" will have sexual acts with 77 virgin women. If we stop on this Islamic consideration and belief, we CANNOT DON'T NOTICE the DISGUSTING DIRTINESS OF THAT THOUGHT-BELIEF. The thought of enjoy in have sexual acts with 77 women is already disgusting, because the HUMAN BEING is not only a FUCKIN' BEAST, BUT is a beast with A SOUL and so HUMANS CAN ONLY THINK TO HAVE ONE WOMAN NOT 250! Or 77! And then the fact these 77 are ALSO Virgins is DOUBLE DISGUSTING. BUT I THINK THERE'S NO NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY.

[Simone Riva]

support for pelestinian intifada...came on palestine...fight...fight and fight..till end of your day...heaven waiting for us there... I CAN'T WAIT YOU GO THERE!!! WHY DON'T YOU SPEED YOUR STEPS TO YOUR HEAVEN? COME ON!! FIGHT!! ON MONDAY,GO AGAINST A ARMOURED DIVISION OF ISREALIAN TANKS SO YOU GO MORE SPEEDLY TO YOUR FUCKIN' HEAVEN!! YET,JUST YOU GO,DON'T GO LONELY, BRING WITH YOU ALL YOUR RACE OF PERVERTS!!