Friday, May 18, 2018

Memo to Journalists Re: Covering Gaza

If I had the power of an editor or news desk chief:


Memo to Journalists Re: Covering Gaza

1. Don't forget context. Gaza is ruled by a terrorist group, Hamas. It's leaders promote an anti-Israel and even anti-Semitic agenda and reject any compromise.

2. In the case of the Great Return March, it is 

"a form of popular resistance organized by Palestinian civilians demanding their right to return to their homeland and to break the arbitirary [sic] Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.

That actually is an invasion of another nation's territory. Moreover, the Gaza security fence is along the pre-1967 armistice line. In other words, the GRM doesn't recognize Israel's rights to a state in any territorial configuration. (see point #3)

3. Israel in 2005 disengaged from all Gaza and destroyed all its Jewish communities expelling 8,000+ Jews from their homes, livelihoods and property.

4. The conduct of those at the fence has been overwhelmingly violent including use of small arms, IED's and incendiary kites.

5. Repeated attempts have been made to destroy the fence so that it can be breached.

6.  All medical services and most of the local press are subservient to Hamas. All figures that cannot be independently certified should be noted as such to avoid outlandish claims.

7. This is the fourth major violent clash with Israel since 2005. After every Hamas campaign, it has been learned that Hamas reports and statistical data are unreliable and therefore, facts and figures should be double-checked.

8. Be on the alert for Pallywood-style staged events.

9. Avoid employing Hamas-generated semantic terms and rather use neutral language.



10. If misleading or misrepresentations are reported, seek to forcefully correct them in future reports, in print or verbally. Otherwise, you could be encouraging further violence.

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