The international mainstream media has been working overtime to shift the narrative regarding the Arab-Israel conflict, and place all blame on Israel’s shoulders – despite the reality being the complete opposite.  Although many of us have come to accept this from the press, a sharp left turn against Israel has become more apparent, and they are using all the weapons of propaganda in their arsenal.

________________________________________________

Fauxtography

What better place to start than with with Fautography from the AP in Bilin?  The Associated Press would have you believe that this man holding a key aloft in one hand, and raising the other in a defiant fist, directly in front of a photographer Bernat Armangue simply “passed out” from tear gas at a Nakba demonstration this week.

For those who do not know, Bilin is home of the West Bank’s longest continuous run of manufactured dissent and grandstanding for the cameras.  It is “ground zero” for the ISM, and their ilk to Paliwood riots, and “IDF abuses”.

_______________________________________________

Inverting The Facts / Shaping The Discussion

The AP however, didn’t stop there.  Much of their, and other’s, media coverage of Netanyahu’s meeting with Obama this week tended to concentrate on Netanyahu’s refusal to formally endorse the creation of a Palestinian state dispite the fact that this is a misnomer regarding his position.  In fact, while with President Obama,  Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke eagerly about renewing negotiations and expressed support for Palestinian autonomy.  Despite this, the media’s coverage implied that his position presented an obstacle to peace.

While the media outlets focused on the negative with Netanyahu, the real obstacle to peace – Hamas – continued to be treated completely differently.  In an Associated Press article published the day after the meeting, the A.P. provided a platform for Hamas leaders to propagandize to the West and falsely express “moderate” positions, such as a quote from Hamas lawmaker Yehiye Moussa saying, the group is “not demanding to destroy Israel.”

This is despite the fact that, as writer Karen Laub point out, that Hamas is not about to change its ideology – which explicitly precludes any recognition of Israel.  Insofar that it is the historically stated position of Hamas that it is their ultimate goal to destroy Israel, an honest reporter would have to conclude that nothing has changed with Hamas.  However, Karen Laub streteches reality to note that Hamas has begun “raising the possibility they would someday accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel.”

So while Netanyahu’s call for Palestinian autonomy is treated as insufficient and anti-peace, Hamas’s rhetorical, though not ideological or practical, shift from total rejectionism is presented as a cause for hope.

______________________________________________

Blaming The Victim; Ignoring The Huge Kiffiyah Wearing Elephant

Last, but definatly not least, in this hall of shame is England’s “The Independent” which stands out from the crowd with a glaring omission.

In an article by Donald Macintyre, “Israel goes cold on plan for regional peace deal,” a list of “obstacles to peace” includes issues such as settlements, Palestinian infighting, Iran, Syria and Israel’s own apparent reluctance to publicly endorse a Palestinian state.

Putting aside the relative importance or otherwise of issues such as settlements being primary stumbling blocks, Macintyre conveniently forgets a very real and potentially the greatest obstacle to peace – Palestinian terror and violence.

How can Macintyre omit the thousands of missiles fired from Gaza at Sderot and surrounding Israeli communities for several years (and before the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip)? Indeed, only the day before Macintyre’s piece was published, Sderot endured a Qassam rocket attack on a courtyard adjacent to two private homes. One resident was wounded while several others were treated for shock.

And how can Macintyre forget the brutal campaign of suicide attacks against Israeli buses, cafes and other civilian targets that has claimed the lives of over 1000 Israelis and wounded thousands more since the year 2000? While major attacks have declined recently thanks to Israeli counter measures such as the Security Fence, the incentive for terrorist groups to carry out similar acts of violence has not.

We could also add to the list other potential obstacles to peace, for example, Palestinian intractability on issues such as the right of return, incitement in Palestinian media and the education system that has poisoned Palestinian minds, and the increasing role of Islamic extremism represented by Hamas.

The way that the Pro-Arab propagandists, useful-idiots, and Terror sympathisersr associate home building, with murder is truly disgusting.

______________________________________________

DONT JUST SIT THERE….DO SOMETHING!

Please write to The Independent – letters@independent.co.uk – to remind them that there are many potential obstacles to peace and that some of these that the paper has omitted, are the responsibility of the Palestinian side to overcome.

You can also contact The Associated Press – to remind them of their duty to provide unbiased, truthful reporting on such an important issue.