AP anti-Israel bias: Today, WITHOUT the editorializing

The AP updated its mosque arson story—without editorializing. Amazingly, there are reporters at the AP (who are not named Mohammed Daraghmeh) that can report the Israeli condemnations of the mosque arson without adding an anti-Israel spin to the reasons behind the condemnations. Except they couldn’t go with the first headline and lead:

Israeli rabbis visit torched West Bank mosque
Six rabbis from West Bank settlements took a step Tuesday to defuse tension over an arson attack at a West Bank mosque, apparently by extremist settlers – they presented 20 new Quran books to replace those damaged in the blaze.

During the rabbis’ visit to the mosque in the village of Beit Fajjar, Palestinian residents held charred pages of the burned Quran books. The mosque was not seriously damaged.

No, it had to be this updated lead and headline:

Israeli settler rabbis lead reconciliatory visit to torched West Bank mosque
Six rabbis from West Bank settlements took a step Tuesday to defuse tension over an arson attack at a West Bank mosque, apparently by extremist settlers — they presented 20 new Quran books to replace those damaged in the blaze.

During the rabbis’ visit to the mosque in the village of Beit Fajjar, Palestinian residents held charred pages of the burned Quran books. The mosque was not seriously damaged.

It’s too bad the AP doesn’t publish who edits each piece. I’d be able to track the anti-Israel spin doctors, and we’d know in a flash whether a piece was worth reading or not.

If you need a palate cleanser, there’s a more thorough (and unbiased) story in Ynet about the “settle” rabbis visiting the mosque. There’s also a picture. And this quote:

Rabbi Brin stated that “Our goal is to share our horror at the attack of the mosque and to clearly state that this is not the way of the Torah or the Jewish way.”

“This act does nothing for the settlements; it is morally and religiously wrong and is offensive to its core,” he saidl “This is not how we educated our children; Islam is not a hostile religion even if we have a dispute with some of its followers.”

I have never seen a similar quote by a Palestinian over an attack on Israelis. When I start seeing that, I will know that peace is near.