Anti-Israel pronouncements in the foreign press are nothing
new, but recently the government has begun to take resolute
steps to counter negative press coverage.
The Government Press Office (GPO) has now prohibited the
employment of Arab reporters. Many media networks with
bureaus in Israel hire unlicensed Palestinian correspondents,
and the results speak for themselves. The new policy,
explained in a letter sent to newspapers and various other
news media, demanded that they dismiss all unlicensed
Palestinians or else face sanctions.
In an unprecedented crackdown, Abu Dhabi reporter Leila Ouda
had her journalist's license revoked and a deportation order
was given to one of her leading reporters, Assam El Azwi. GPO
head Danny Siman, acting boldly and apparently with
government backing, accused the two of unmitigated
provocation and other similar charges.
Although Abu Dhabi, an emirate in the Persian Gulf, does not
maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, it does have
correspondents stationed in Israel and Israeli satellite
companies provide services without reservation.
El Azwi's reports had even brought criticism by Israel's left-
wing press. In March, for example, El Azwi reported that
execution orders had been issued against Palestinians and
carried out by the IDF--a complete lie. This is just a single
example among many instances of hatred and provocation.
Last week some journalists went beyond simply filing pro-Arab
reports, and actually collaborated with Palestinian
terrorism. While Arafat's headquarters building was cordoned
off by IDF soldiers, foreign leftist activists rushed into
the building, later smuggling out several wanted terrorists.
Several senior reporters, such as Michael Holmes of CNN, were
among those who helped them gain access to the building,
though it is not clear if they new that they would help the
terrorists.
Areas of IDF operations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza were
entirely sealed off to reporters. During the previous attempt
to penetrate into the Territories, reporters sent photographs
showing pitiful Palestinian children during searches, causing
serious public relations damage to Israel.
In some cases Israeli reporters are eager to outdo their
foreign colleagues in pro-Arab reportage. Sometimes Hamas and
other Palestinians are quoted extensively--or even
exclusively--in Israeli press stories. Claims made by the
Palestinian side are presented as fact, whereas Israeli
counterclaims are cast in doubt. According to reports even
Galei Tzahal [the official IDF radio station] refuses to
refer to soldiers fighting in the Territories as "our
soldiers."
One of the most extreme examples of negative press was when
Egypt announced it was cutting off diplomatic relations with
Israel last week, and news reports seemed to suggest it was
cutting off all ties with Israel.
Perhaps the most venomous example is Yediot Achronot's
website, which regularly quotes Arab officials extensively,
but made no mention of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's speech
two weeks ago, unlike other media sources in Israel and
around the world that quoted him at length. Instead the
Yediot Achronot site, which boasts a well-known Arab as one
of its leading reporters, chose instead to present a letter--
allegedly written by a reserve officer--that claims IDF
activities in the Territories are conducted indiscriminately,
with no visible target, a claim devoid of any basis in
fact.
Thus recent efforts by the GPO to take steps against the
rampant provocation in the press, and the orders to the IDF
to keep all reporters in the Territories at bay definitely
represent a step in the right direction.
