Manipulating people's views on Israel

[OrangeWolf]

Hi there, this morning on the internet I came across an article about Israel, in a leading leftist newspaper in my country, and this is how people are supposed to form an opinion about Israel. Oh when I say leading I mean it is the third newspaper in the Netherlands, printing 305.000 newspapers a day and with god knows how many internet hits. I translated it as literally as possible:


Israel does not want Arab diplomats:
JERUSALEM - The Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman only wants to allow people who did their national army service to become diplomats. This way diplomatic carreers for especially Israeli Arabs will become impossible. The measure will also exclude orthodox Jews.Both groups are exempt from military service. "Everyone who wants to represent the country abroad must meet the requirements", said FM Lieberman.

Out of 7 million Israelis, 1.2 million are Arabs. They are the descendants of 160 thousand Palestinians who decided to stay when the Jewish state was founded in 1948.

Source to the crappy article: http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article1281242.ece/Israel_wil_geen_Arabische_diplomaten.

Let's consider for just a second the average leftist Eurotrash reporter is not totally ignorant. He would at realize a subtile title like "Israel does not want Arabs" to be read by many people and people will just draw yet another false conclusion that Israel is an apartheid state. Does the article even mention the fact the first advisor to be appointed was an Arab Israeli Muslim, Ishmael Khaldi? ****, does the newspaper even know that saying Orthodox Jews are exempt is a total lie?

Now it would be acceptable if this nonsense was written on some obscure socialist website. But freaking hell how many people will read this, and think accordingly?

[Jurinko]

Few days ago, there was an article in our news named "Americans destroyed ancient Babylon", took over from some US newspaper.

I expected at least pictures like Groznyi, but to my utter horror I learnt that US soldiers had a base for 1 year some 1km far from the Babylon and dared to drive on trucks around, even took some rocky waste from the ground to fill the sandbags, while that waste "could contain ceramics of high historical value". Article admitted that Babylon was mostly damaged by insensitive building in Saddam era and some fighting with insurgents, but the title was priceless.

Another time, there was an article that "Israel tested anthrax vaccine on its own soldiers". Most of the dumb commenters did not recognized the difference between "anthrax vaccine" and "anthrax".

[Player]

Hi there, this morning on the internet I came across an article about Israel, in a leading leftist newspaper in my country, and this is how people are supposed to form an opinion about Israel. Oh when I say leading I mean it is the third newspaper in the Netherlands, printing 305.000 newspapers a day and with god knows how many internet hits. I translated it as literally as possible:



Source to the crappy article: http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article1281242.ece/Israel_wil_geen_Arabische_diplomaten.

Let's consider for just a second the average leftist Eurotrash reporter is not totally ignorant. He would at realize a subtile title like "Israel does not want Arabs" to be read by many people and people will just draw yet another false conclusion that Israel is an apartheid state. Does the article even mention the fact the first advisor to be appointed was an Arab Israeli Muslim, Ishmael Khaldi? ****, does the newspaper even know that saying Orthodox Jews are exempt is a total lie?

Now it would be acceptable if this nonsense was written on some obscure socialist website. But freaking hell how many people will read this, and think accordingly?

While sometimes I do get to see clear bias, I wouldn't consider this one to be.

It really shouldn't be too hard to come to the conclusion that Lieberman's proposal would in fact exclude Israeli Arabs and Orthodox Jews from becoming diplomats because in comparison to all other Israeli citizens, Arabs aren't drafted into military/national service. Perhaps if Israeli Arabs wouldn't be discriminated from doing national service, then the title of the given article would be different. There is nothing anti-Israeli here, the article simply points out the outcome of such a decision.

[Breerman]

Let's consider for just a second the average leftist Eurotrash reporter
Totally racist statment there. 100x worse than what you people are complaining about in various threads. Reported for blood libel.

[GB_FXST]

While sometimes I do get to see clear bias, I wouldn't consider this one to be.

It really shouldn't be too hard to come to the conclusion that Lieberman's proposal would in fact exclude Israeli Arabs and Orthodox Jews from becoming diplomats because in comparison to all other Israeli citizens, Arabs aren't drafted into military/national service. Perhaps if Israeli Arabs wouldn't be discriminated from doing national service, then the title of the given article would be different. There is nothing anti-Israeli here, the article simply points out the outcome of such a decision.

Not necessarily, as Israeli Arabs can choose to serve in the IDF or National Service (Sherut Leumi).

That is, Israeli Arabs are not “discriminated from doing nation service.” They are exempt from the draft but allowed to serve in the military if they so choose. They can also elect to perform National Service.

So, under Lieberman’s plan, an Israeli Arab can still join the Foreign Ministry. Such a candidate, like everyone else, will first have to complete some sort of national service program, either civilian or military.

Honest journalism, intellectual honesty, requires that the article mention this fact. This fact also belies the article title.

A title such as the following would be more appropriate, accurate and less pejorative: Israel wants National Service Veterans as Diplomats.

I think that the editors purposefully choose an emotive title that would reflect poorly on Israel.

Some links:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418685222&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418685222&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_National_Service (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_National_Service)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=520911&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=520911&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y)

[Martial]

Thank you for the level-headed and informative post, GB_FXST!

[LEGEND]

BBC is not even trying to hide the bias the headline reads "Israeli Arab diplomat curb mooted (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8218564.stm)" ...

[JBH22]

israel doesn't want arab diplomats i agree after all it is a jewish state.
does arab states have a jewish diplomat currently???

[Audio]

Lol...wheres the sense in Israel having an Arab diplomat?

Term "It does not compute" comes to mind.....

[OrangeWolf]

Totally racist statment there. 100x worse than what you people are complaining about in various threads. Reported for blood libel.

How am I racist? Just for the record I am Dutch and I live here. When I say Eurotrash that means at worst I am racist against myself? Now care to exlain what you mean with "you people", I am very interested to which group I belong.

The title of the article was extremely simplistic and I am confident they just chose it to make it all look more negative to people who do not investigate the matter. A fair title would be something like "Israeli FM proposes measure that would exclude people who didn't do national service to become diplomats", or probably something shorter.

[RoyB]

Totally racist statment there. 100x worse than what you people are complaining about in various threads. Reported for blood libel.
We have a comedian, people.

[chauncy republicans]

I had no idea there were so many blood libelers on this forum.
What an outrage!

[klong]

Hi there, this morning on the internet I came across an article about Israel, in a leading leftist newspaper in my country, and this is how people are supposed to form an opinion about Israel. Oh when I say leading I mean it is the third newspaper in the Netherlands, printing 305.000 newspapers a day and with god knows how many internet hits. I translated it as literally as possible:



Source to the crappy article: http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article1281242.ece/Israel_wil_geen_Arabische_diplomaten.

Let's consider for just a second the average leftist Eurotrash reporter is not totally ignorant. He would at realize a subtile title like "Israel does not want Arabs" to be read by many people and people will just draw yet another false conclusion that Israel is an apartheid state. Does the article even mention the fact the first advisor to be appointed was an Arab Israeli Muslim, Ishmael Khaldi? ****, does the newspaper even know that saying Orthodox Jews are exempt is a total lie?

Now it would be acceptable if this nonsense was written on some obscure socialist website. But freaking hell how many people will read this, and think accordingly?


Blame it on current BBC/NYK/ABC/AFP/CNN/ARD/INA/etc etc etc.

Fact is, opinions have already been formed over the past 40 years. Whether they write about in current issues of the news, or not : People are sick and tired of the ceaseless, irrational, bickering between Israelis and Palestinians.

[Atlantic Friend]

I had no idea there were so many blood libelers on this forum.
What an outrage!

This should either come with its own /sarcasm tag, or with an elaboration.

[budgie]

There was a study done once on the Miiddle East conflict. A number of pro-Palestinian viewers and pro-Israeli vewiers were asked their opinion of the same news stories on the conflict. Each camp believed the very same stories portrayed their side in a negative light. I guess to the overly sensitive, the truth hurts.

[GB_FXST]

There was a study done once on the Miiddle East conflict. A number of pro-Palestinian viewers and pro-Israeli vewiers were asked their opinion of the same news stories on the conflict. Each camp believed the very same stories portrayed their side in a negative light. I guess to the overly sensitive, the truth hurts.

The issue at hand here is not a question of perception, but of facts.

The article, as translated, is simply not factual. The first factual issue is that Arabs are eligible to work for the Foreign Ministry. The article asserts that they are not.

The second factual issue is that national service, either military or civilian, is prerequisite to employment. The article ignores that there is more than one type of national service in Israel. In addition to military service, there is also civilian service, known as National Service.

If the author of the article ignores pertinent facts, his agenda, or motive, becomes fair game.

[RuneX2]

israel doesn't want arab diplomats i agree after all it is a jewish state.
does arab states have a jewish diplomat currently???Bahrain's ambassador in the USA is Jewish.

Denmark also used to have a very anti-Israel press. But for some reason this has changed around rather dramatically Not that it is pro-Israel. But neither anything like the absurd anti-Israel bias I read from some other countries. I don't know what prompted this change in Denmark. Of course mostly Israel is covered like just another nation. And a very small one at that. I.e. very little coverage.

[GB_FXST]

Bahrain's ambassador in the USA is Jewish.

... snip ...



And, a woman at that ...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212041427530&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


As an example of an Israeli Arab diploamt there is Ishmael Khalidi; Israeli Arab, IDF vet, and a Foreign Ministry Employee ...

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3266233,00.html

[DS73]

Now it would be acceptable if this nonsense was written on some obscure socialist website. But freaking hell how many people will read this, and think accordingly?
1. They have literally reproduced AFP "news". Blame french. I always do.
2. Actually Volskkrant is ex socialist newspaper.
They became "normal" newspaper when acquired by NRC. Nevertheless their news about pretty much everything outside of EU suck. They reprint too much crap from AFP and other newsgiants, and trust too much very conspicuous characters.
3. If you consider any news being libel you are free to write simple or official complaint.
Nothing extraordinary here.

[OrangeWolf]

I already wrote an official complaint to the Volkskrant. Last time I wrote a complaint was because they continued to show maps of the Levant with errors. Like they showed the Golan Heights as in Syria. I mean not even as "disputed territory" or Israeli controlled, which was odd because they did show Gaza as a separate entity.

They replied back to me that they don't always have the right maps (yeah right) and if they would have to show all the detailed territorial specifics, there would be many complications. Whatever...

[DS73]

I already wrote an official complaint to the Volkskrant. Last time I wrote a complaint was because they continued to show maps of the Levant with errors. Like they showed the Golan Heights as in Syria. I mean not even as "disputed territory" or Israeli controlled, which was odd because they did show Gaza as a separate entity.

They replied back to me that they don't always have the right maps (yeah right) and if they would have to show all the detailed territorial specifics, there would be many complications. Whatever...
well technically speaking Golan Heights are not recognized internationally as Israel territory.(by the Netherlands as well). It is considered to be occupied territory that should be returned with condition of ever lasting peace. (something that syrians obviously are incapable to provide, hence suspended case). I am too lazy to digg this "Quartet" crap or relevant resolutions :D.
If the map in question was political illustrating geographical relation between discussed countries it was correct map.

I am more concerned with all this hurrah coverage of (new) PvDA and demonizing of Wilder's party.
Polarized Netherlands is the last thing I would like to see. But it's OT here :D.

[OrangeWolf]

I know about the status of the Golan Heights, besides I have been there a couple of times. The problem was not that they showed the Golan Heights as part of Syria without even bothering to show on the map that Israel controls it. Like usually in disputed territory you see dotted borders or something, for months they just showed as if nothing happened there and if it was still in hands of that crackpot dictatorship Syria with its imperialistic ambitions but its crappy achievements.

They even told me the map was wrong in the reply, but said they don't always have better alternatives at hand.

I don't wanna start a Dutch politics discussion here but seriously screw the PvdA and their aligned Socialist Youth :)

[chauncy republicans]

This should either come with its own /sarcasm tag, or with an elaboration.
Look at Breermans post and location on page one, it's hilarious.

SPQA