The Media Accountability Project  

"First, you state that “Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal.” My organization has long been concerned with AP’s descriptions of Israel’s occupation in the context of international law. However, this sentence is a significant improvement and we applaud its use in this article and encourage AP to use it more often."

"It is particularly refreshing to read an article which includes several Palestinian voices reporting first-hand on the violence they have been experiencing at the hands of the illegal settlers, who continue to terrorize and disrupt their lives. Furthermore, we appreciate the up-to-date coverage of the events affecting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Your article provides readers with the necessary context to understand the recent events by succinctly recapping them. This is highly useful."

"During the incursion, 7 Palestinians were killed, including two children Ahmed Youssef Saqr and Sadil Ghassan Turkman. Over 91 Palestinian civilians, including 23 in critical condition were wounded by Israeli fire, stun grenades and tear gas. 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."

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."

The use of such strong language when describing Israeli settler attacks on innocent Palestinians, especially in a situation in which the violence is asymmetrical, is inflammatory and a violation of basic journalistic standards. I insist that you immediately remove the words “revenge” or “avenge” in both articles and their headlines.

"It is refreshing to see a video in which Palestinian voices are heard giving their accounts of what took place during the raid by Israeli Forces. Furthermore, Palestinian voices seldom are allowed to express the difficulties and hardships endured living under daily occupation."

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."