Double-Whammy B'tselem at the NYTimes

Not only at The Lede bog of Robert Mackay, a long-time fellow-traveller of the forces of the Israel concessionist left, but now, someone else has joined in, besides the regular staright new reporting.

One Elizabeth Harris has blogged the story of the IDF soldier at Beit Ummar who pointed a loaded rifle at an Arab.

The month before, Mackay utilized another clip which has since been proven to be a false portryal of the reality and actually, a complete reversal of the truth in which an Arab youngster is supposedly arrested and his mother is left behind. Israel's Press Council found a complaint against the misrepresentation by Ynet to be justified (in Hebrew).

As Harris notes,

The video shows an Israeli officer — a first lieutenant, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz — yelling at a Palestinian man. The officer shoves the man, raises his gun, and for a moment, brings the muzzle to the man’s face. The officer then lowers the gun, takes a few steps back, and raises it again.

The clip is 1:15 seconds long. It begins with the apparent detention for a security check of an Arab by 3-4 soldiers. They are amongst some 10 Arabs and one is especially vociferous and in-your-face and approaches the soldiers. Perhaps they interpreted that as a potential threat. In any case, a representative for the Israel Defense Forces said the incident would be investigated.

B’Tselem's Sarit Michaeli admitted that

...a resident of Beit Ummar being detained by soldiers on suspicion of throwing stones. When a male relative of the young suspect tried to intervene, Ms. Michaeli said, the officer pointed his gun at the man.

Harris herself notes the Arab

appears to be unarmed

So, was the soldier wrong in his behavior? Was the video clip providing a wrong impression?

Moreover, could coverage like Harris' be the reason the Arab assumed he could so aggressive?

Incidentally, Harris then provides a platform for B'tselem to attack my friend Noah Pollack who, in Commentary's Contentions, criticized the group.

Harris informs:

In an Israeli Web magazine called +972, Ms. Michaeli fired back, saying the article in Commentary “relies on irresponsible and manipulative paraphrasing of statements by B’Tselem and people affiliated with it.” She added, “Certainly we are more Israeli than Americans who command us to march in lock-step with our government, while maintaining a healthy skepticism towards their own leaders.”

which, of course, doesn't respond to Noah's detailed criticism.

Should not Noah be allowed a short response?

So, NYT is in alliance with B'tselem, et al.

^