You know how I keep telling you that the media never acknowledges the deaths of Israelis the way it leaps onto the deaths of Palestinians? Well, take a look at this headline. Notice how the death is reported.
Israeli Soldier Killed in Gaza Operation
The “operation” killed the soldier, not “militants.” The headline should read “Palestinian Militants Kill Israeli Soldier.” But then, that would put the Palestinians in a bad light, and this way, the AP also gets to blame the IDF for the “incursion” into Gaza.
Israeli forces moved into the Gaza Strip early Thursday in a hunt for weapons and wanted militants, sparking a fierce battle with Hamas militants that killed one Israeli soldier. It was the first time a soldier has died in battle since November, the army said.
About 10 tanks and two bulldozers backed by helicopters moved before dawn about 500 yards into farming fields near the Bureij refugee camp Gaza, witnesses and the Hamas militant group said. Hamas said its gunmen detonated two large mines, injuring soldiers.
The army said one soldier was killed and two were lightly injured.
When gunmen approached the troops, Israeli aircraft fired on them and identified hitting them, the army said. Hamas said two Palestinians were injured, one seriously, a militant of the group.
The dead soldier has a name. He was Staff Sgt. Arbel Reich. Funny how the AP can never bring itself to name Israeli victims of Palestinian violence, yet every Palestinian victim is named, aged, and placed, as well as often having quotes from family members added to the story. Only the Israeli media manages to find out the names of Israeli dead. Why is that, I wonder?
The AP is full of sneer quotes in this one, too.
The army said Thursday’s operation was launched in response to “terror threats.” Military officials said troops were searching for wanted militants, weapons and other infrastructure used to attack Israel.
Ynet has a different description of why the IDF was in Gaza.
The IDF reported that the gunmen approached IDF ground forces, which had been operating in the area since late Wednesday night in order to uncover terror infrastructure.
Way to be unbiased, AP. Great reporting.
Not.
Uh, Meryl, you called them “militants” in your rewrite.
:-(
I’m using AP-speak, Soccer Dad. You’ll never see the AP use the word “terrorists” in a news story about Israel and Palestinians.
Today is the one year anniversary of the 2nd Lebanon War. Great job Olmerde!
Meryl, I agree with you about the double standards of the MSM. The word militant is just a weasel word used by the media because they fear attack, should they dare to use the word terrorist.
That said, I want to talk a bit about the word terrorist. In my opinion, a terrorist is a person who intentionally attacks innocent, unarmed civilians.
On the other hand, a person who attacks armed military personnel is different. He could be called a guerrilla, if in civilian clothes, or an enemy soldier, if in an easily identifiable uniform.
That doesn’t mean I admire or respect members of Hamas, Hizbullah, or the many Fatah offshoots. I want to see the IDF kill as many of them as possible.
I just don’t think we ought to call a person who attacks an armed military formation a terrorist, unless he’s also guilty of having attacked civilians.
I noticed a great headline and blurb at the Times of London today. If you look at the main news page, it says
“World given first glimpse inside bloody Red Mosque –
Pakistan Army shows aftermath of siege and confirms that 39 of the bodies pulled out of Red Mosque had been aged under 18”
The article itself does mention “young women”, “girls” and “female students”, but there’s one word that doesn’t make it.
Because, you know, only the IDF kills children.
“unless he’s also guilty of having attacked civilians.”
Those same groups are launching rockets from Gaza into Israel, and are behind the coordination of suicide bombings against innocent Israeli civilians, ergo, they are terrorists, not militants, guerillas or freedom fighters.