The Media Accountability Project  

Specifying that these four individuals were “settlers” provides important context about why Palestinians may be hostile to settlers, especially as Israeli settlers rampage Palestinian towns, often resulting in the destruction of Palestinian homes, businesses, and possessions. Moreover, efforts by the extremist right-wing Israeli government to illegally annex land in the occupied West Bank for settlement housing units further fuels this hostility.

This context is essential for viewers to understand that the killing of the four Israeli settlers was a direct response to the brutal raids, arrests, and violence by Israeli forces.

"The segment falsely implied that Palestinian actions were the origin of the latest escalation of violence, whereas the opposite is true."

Second, you fail to provide adequate context regarding the Israeli attack and raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank. While you mention that six Palestinians were killed, you do not mention that two children were shot by Israeli fire, namely the 15-year-old child Ahmed Youssef Saqr, who died from his wounds. According to the Palestinian News Agency Wafa, over 91 Palestinians, including 23 in critical conditions were wounded by live Israeli bullets, stun grenades, or tear gas. Moreover, Israeli forces also targeted paramedics and several Palestinian journalists including Hazem Imad Nasser who was shot several times.

"Specifying that these four individuals were “settlers” provides important context about why Palestinians may be hostile to settlers, especially as the extremist right-wing Israeli government today announced 1,000 more illegal settlement housing units in the occupied West Bank, in addition to existing plans. To ignore such context fails to capture the reality between Jewish-Israeli settlers and indigenous Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank and the near impunity of settlers who are backed by the Israeli army."

"In the opening paragraph, you describe the murder of 19-year-old Faris Hashash, referring to him there only as a “passerby.” I find it alarming that he would not be described simply as a “civilian.” As you are aware, attacks against civilians carry serious implications in international law. Your article serves to obscure this fact by using the term “passerby.” Further, it is unfortunate to notice that the Israeli vehicle that was shot at in the West Bank around the same time was qualified as a “civilian vehicle.” Why isn’t Hashash qualified as a civilian, but an Israeli car is?"

"Third, to describe the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank as a “response to a spasm of Palestinian violence” that has “surged” is deeply problematic and misleading. It obscures Israel’s role as an aggressor and occupier and disregards the power imbalance between Israel and the Palestinian people, of which the former has one of the “most advanced militaries in the world.” More importantly, such language rationalizes Israeli violence against Palestinians, “equating the oppressed with the oppressors or blaming the oppressed for the actions of the oppressor."

To claim that Issam al-Salaj “crowd-surfed” and “cheered” the Israeli military’s failure to arrest him obscures Israel’s role as an aggressor and occupier. It disregards the power imbalance between Israel and the Palestinian people and the military and apartheid regime that Palestinians in the occupied territories have endured for the past 56 years. More importantly, your description of Palestinians’ “spontaneous celebrations” fails to acknowledge that Palestinians have been and are actively involved in an ongoing struggle for liberation and self-determination.

UNSC Resolution 242 (1967) calls for the withdrawal of Israel’s armed forces from territories occupied during the Six Day War including Syria’s Golan Heights. This was affirmed by UNSC Resolution 497 (1981) which asserts that “The Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.”

"The article, which relies mostly on information sourced from the Israeli military, fails to mention that the Israeli military fired live bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas, at Palestinian residents protesting the raid and demolition, wounding at least 35, including 20 who suffered from gunshot wounds. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli forces also deliberately injured two Palestinian journalists, Rabee Munir and Momen Samreen, who suffered serious wounds to the head and abdomen. The article also fails to specify that the demolition of Islam Faroukh’s house displaced his parents and four sisters – exemplifying the real brutality and damage by Israeli forces that are absent from Israeli military sources."