Garbage on the News
Everyday, I turn on the radio and there it is, an interview with an Israeli settler crying about leaving his/her home in the Gaza strip.
Given the fact that there are only 8 thousand Israeli settlers in the Gaza strip, I estimate that every single one of them had been interviewed by a major media outlet in north America about seven times already.
There are 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza strip, when is the last time you heard an interview with one of them?
House demolitions,
Extra judicial killings,
kids being shot,
tanks on the streets,
But no interviews with them, their pain doesn't matter. Yet another example of the racism of North American media.
1.5 million have been living under siege for 38 years to serve the interests of 5 thousand settlers .... Nobody bothers to mention the basic facts.
Notice how most of the settlers speak English just perfectly. No accent. That is because, a large number of them are from the US or Canada. And these are more fanatical and blood thirsty than any Israeli.
"U.S. sends all it's garbage to us", said late Israeli prime minister Itzhak Rabin when he was referring the the settlers. He forgot to mention that in turn the Israeli shifted the garbage to the occupied territories for the Palestinians to deal with.
I say it is about time to send the garbage into Israel proper and out of the occupied territories.
--------------------------
Last week we heard the story of the fanatical Israeli soldier who rode a bus into Palestinian village of Shafa-Amr and shot four people dead and injured others.
All media coverage of the event, was careful to clarify that the man was an extremist fanatical, who belonged to a political party that is illegal inside Israel and is followed by a small minority of the Israeli public. Careful attention was made to distinguish between the actions of one man and the population of a whole country and a whole religion.
Jewish Terrorist ... was never used .... except by Sharon the current prime minister of Israel .... and even that was not covered widely.
I have to hand it the Israeli prime ministers, past and present. They certainly don't mince words.
I think the actions of the media in that case was good and honorable and measured .... too bad they follow a different standard when it applies to Muslims.
Racism?
Intentional?
Unintentional?
Ignorance?
Pffffffffffffft.
Given the fact that there are only 8 thousand Israeli settlers in the Gaza strip, I estimate that every single one of them had been interviewed by a major media outlet in north America about seven times already.
There are 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza strip, when is the last time you heard an interview with one of them?
House demolitions,
Extra judicial killings,
kids being shot,
tanks on the streets,
But no interviews with them, their pain doesn't matter. Yet another example of the racism of North American media.
1.5 million have been living under siege for 38 years to serve the interests of 5 thousand settlers .... Nobody bothers to mention the basic facts.
Notice how most of the settlers speak English just perfectly. No accent. That is because, a large number of them are from the US or Canada. And these are more fanatical and blood thirsty than any Israeli.
"U.S. sends all it's garbage to us", said late Israeli prime minister Itzhak Rabin when he was referring the the settlers. He forgot to mention that in turn the Israeli shifted the garbage to the occupied territories for the Palestinians to deal with.
I say it is about time to send the garbage into Israel proper and out of the occupied territories.
--------------------------
Last week we heard the story of the fanatical Israeli soldier who rode a bus into Palestinian village of Shafa-Amr and shot four people dead and injured others.
All media coverage of the event, was careful to clarify that the man was an extremist fanatical, who belonged to a political party that is illegal inside Israel and is followed by a small minority of the Israeli public. Careful attention was made to distinguish between the actions of one man and the population of a whole country and a whole religion.
Jewish Terrorist ... was never used .... except by Sharon the current prime minister of Israel .... and even that was not covered widely.
I have to hand it the Israeli prime ministers, past and present. They certainly don't mince words.
I think the actions of the media in that case was good and honorable and measured .... too bad they follow a different standard when it applies to Muslims.
Racism?
Intentional?
Unintentional?
Ignorance?
Pffffffffffffft.
There is a way between voice and presence where information flows.
In disciplined silence it opens.
With wandering talk it closes. .... Rumi
8:51 PMIhath if you're sick of the media then check out:
http://www.a-mother-from-gaza.blogspot.com/
a blog by Laila, a journalist for English Al-jazeera who lives in Gaza. On-the-spot reporting from a Palestinian's perspective.
6:38 AM
Ihath,
North American media spends more time interviewing Israelis because of what you just mentioned - more of them speak English. Also, keep in mind that there are many place in the Palestinian Occupied Territories that media are not allowed to go. There is also more crime, gangs, and shoot-outs. Media is not going to go into places where they won't be safe.
8:08 AM
Dear Ihath,
I think the reason is that the pullout is new news, while the occupation is old news. So anything related to the pullout will dominate for a while.
Speaking of racism and Muslims and etc., one probably should also note the discrimination against the Palestinians living in neighboring countries.
I've read that in the Muslim nations, the Palestinians are considered second class citizens. They are denied jobs, civil rights, and health care. I've read that in Israel, the Palestinians who are citizens there, fare much better, and are more kindly treated, better than in the Muslim nations.
Since you lived in Israel, can you confirm/deny this based on your or your husband's experiences?
Later...
11:02 AM
Emma,
Thank you for the link ... good one.
11:03 AM
Palestinians are indeed treated like second class citizens in the rest of the mid-east. It's ironic, considering the blatant "concern" shouted throughout the region for their welfare. Other than Jordan and Lebanon, no other country will offer them asylum. Kuwait expelled about 400 thousand before Gulf War 1. Most of the West Bank is living on UN handouts. All that oil wealth inthe Gulf can't be used to improve their condition?
The only use the region has for the Palestinians is as a means of irritating Israel.
9:06 AM
"I say it is about time to send the garbage into Israel proper and out of the occupied territories." and..."They are born with a violent mentality, you don't know these people, they are not like us", she tells me (from you lament titled Lemonade). Wow, garbage huh, sounds a little hypocritical.
11:05 AM
My lady, blessed in intellect and in judgment, almost always soft hearted, kind and caring, frequently favored with insight that would otherwise escape me, I respectfully disagree with your use of the word "garbage" to describe these people.
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