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A call for a Fair Media

By:
Rhonda McCarthy,
American Peace Activist volunteering at PCR                    November. 10^th 2000

 
On 9 November 2000, the West Bank town of Beit Sahour was again the scene of  Israeli aggression against Palestinian citizens.  The apparent target of this attack was Hussein Abayat, a Palestinian Fatah Commander, who was in the area visiting families whose homes have been destroyed in recent shelling.  Two women who lived in the area were also killed in the assassination of Mr. Abayat.   Rahma Shahin and Aziza Dannoun were standing about 80 feet away.  They were both killed instantly when a helicopter smart missile hit the car that Mr. Abayat was driving.  Nathmi, his wife Jameeleh Shu’aybaat, and Khaled Salahat were critically injured in addition to six others in which a physican, a nurse and an Ambulance driver were among the injured. 

CNN reported the incident in statistical terms only, stating that three Palestinians had been killed, and three seriously wounded.  It has been noted that this is often the case in media coverage of the conflict over the past 6 weeks.  Palestinian loss of life is reported as numbers; Israeli loss of life is reported as a terrible human tragedy.  The death of a female Israeli soldier in Gaza was given substantial media coverage, including a profile of the woman's life.  In the interest of balanced and accurate journalism, American citizens and the world community have every right to insist that they be given the opportunity to see the human tragedy of both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian struggle.  Each life lost in the occupied territories has been someone's child, someone's father, and/or someone's brother.  This incident requires that we also add "someone's mother, sister, and grandmother."  Each day that a town is under siege, families are displaced, income for basic necessity is lost, and children become more afraid.

Responsible journalistic coverage would show the human tragedy on both sides equally.  In this instance, responsible journalistic coverage would show the children and grandchildren of these women, their contribution to their community, their innocence, their naiveté as helicopters circled over head and they could think of no reason that they were in danger.  Responsible journalistic coverage would have asked why an off-duty Palestinian soldier involved in social work, was a legitimate target for assassination, especially in an area that would necessitate loss of civilian life.  Responsible journalism would require a balanced perspective of this off-duty Palestinian soldier as compared to Israeli citizens who are IDF reservists.  If it is unacceptable to kill Israeli women who are innocent bystanders, is it not just as unacceptable to kill Palestinian women who are innocent bystanders?  Is it within the rules of war, that an off-duty Palestinian soldier, in his own community, and not involved in any type of military action at the time, is a legitimate target?  Then is it also within the rules of war that Israeli reservists are legitimate targets when in their own communities and not in active duty? Remember that by definition this includes almost every male and female adult within Israel.  

We encourage journalists covering this conflict to strive for more balanced reporting of the human suffering, as well as the facts.  We encourage the world community to not let the media manipulate your sympathies or your outrage. 

Send mail to [email protected]  with questions or comments about this web site or any of the activities mentioned and we will be glad to write you back.
Copyright © 2000 Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People
Last modified: 10-11-2000 09:23:44 PM