ODT gets it wrong
May 22, 2008
In an apparently ‘even-handed’ entitled (‘Bush's peace offering’), the Otago Daily Times criticised Pres. George Bush for not pressing Israel to
....desist from its settlement policies, encroaching ever further into disputed territory, and from its policies of cutting off fuel supplies — thus electricity and water — to Gaza. The post-1948 pattern of violence and war between Israel and displaced Palestinians, and with its neighbours, seems caught in yet another chicken-and-egg impasse. (emphasis added). While Israel applies a stranglehold on Gaza under its democratically elected, but unrecognised Hamas administration, Hamas retaliates with arbitrary and deadly rocket attacks from the territory. Or vice versa.’
The KBRM chairman then submitted a letter to the editor that was within the 150-word guideline. Yet when it was published (May 29), an important phrase (in red below) was deleted, as was the KBRM affiliation.
Regarding ‘the need for Israel to... desist from its policies of cutting off fuel supplies... to Gaza’ (editorial 22/5/08), I would like to point out that according to the United Nations charter, a blockade is one of the first and least harmful actions that should be taken against an aggressor nation. Blockades were imposed, for example, on Cuba in 1961 and Iraq in 1990. Yet when Israel — a nation that is not just threatened, but is under constant and immediate attack — imposes a partial blockade on its enemy while continuing to supply it with fuel (some of which is diverted to rockets aimed at Israel), it is condemned. Why is the only Jewish nation in the world criticized for doing what other nations are allowed to do? Why does not the world condemn the aggression from Gaza, instead of jumping on Israel for trying to defend itself?
Rodney Brooks
The chairman then requested a meeting with the editor:
In regard to your editorial of May 22, I do appreciate that your ‘even-handed’ approach is better than that of many NZ papers that are blatantly anti-Israel. I also understand that you are a very busy man.
Nevertheless, if you are to editorialize about the Mideast conflict and hand out blame (even-handed as you may be), I think it is important to get the facts straight.
I am not referring to the blockade question that I discussed in my letter published today.*
I'm referring to your ‘chicken-and-egg impasse’, in which you describe Hamas retaliating against Israel's ‘stranglehold on Gaza’, followed by ‘Or vice versa’. But Murray, it is not a ‘chicken or egg’ situation; it is vice-versa. This is not just an opinion, it is documented fact.
(Consider, for example, a recent statement that Hamas's aim is to destroy the ‘illegal Israeli government’ and regain ‘our land’, adding ‘when the United States cannot even defend its own troops in Iraq, how does it propose to protect the Israeli regime from collapse?’ — http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=169604).
Accuracy is just as important in editorials as it is in news articles. Putting unjust blame on Israel, even if done even-handedly, is not worthy of a New Zealand newspaper, and has the unintended effect of feeding anti-Semitism in New ZealandÉ Granted that you do not have a bias against Israel, the need for accuracy is still there, and indeed is one of the journalistic principles that the NZ Press Council holds dear.
Murray, would you please grant me an opportunity to enlighten you? One hour of your time, or even half an hour, is all I ask, to be arranged at your convenience.
*Speaking of my letter published today, I do not understand why you felt it necessary to remove 14 words. Your instructions to readers say ‘we will abridge some letters that exceed our guidelines for length (normally 150 words).’ I had worked hard to keep my letter to 149 words, within your guideline. The phrase that you took out was critical, showing that unlike the earlier examples I cited, Israel is under actual, not threatened, attack. I hope you won't think I'm just an old crank (even though I am), or that I'm not grateful that you published my letter (I am grateful), but it seems to me that you broke your own rule...
Rodney Brooks,
Chairman Kiwis for Balanced Reporting on the Mideast