The Violent Media - A Matter of Terminology

This was released to the press by the EU:-

"The European Union once again condemns in the strongest possible terms the acts of violence and brutality committed against Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank...The European Union would point out that it is up to the Israeli government, which has itself condemned these acts, to take the necessary measures to stop them immediately, in accordance with its international obligations..."

I also condemn acts such as these.

However, I find it odd that the Arabs are termed "civilians" while the Jews are all collectively lumped together as a nebulous group of "settlers".

I spotted this headline from Oct. 29 which, perhaps, highlights my problem with terminology such as this:-

Israeli troops kill armed Palestinian shepherd

and in another agency report:

Israeli troops kill West Bank farmer

not to skip over this one:-

Israeli army kills Palestinian man in West Bank raid

Even though he is a terrorist, a man who has chosen not only to be violent but to cause lethal damage with his weapon, is humanized by being described as a "shepherd", a "farmer", a "man".

It is as if he is being somehow forced into this violent role whereas the Jews who are responding either to violations of the limits placed on olive pickers by the Civilian Administration or to provocative acts of Arabs who are emboldened by the presence of other leftwing Jews, foreign "volunteers" or/and the media are lumped together in this faceless masked collective of "settlers".

The media is also being a violent participant in this scenario.