The BBC story on Israel’s plans to build 3,000 new settlements in occupied territory characterizes the colonies correctly. Just 12 words:
“The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.”
After all, the UN Security Council just voted unanimously (with one abstention) in favor of the resolution that the settlements are a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Contrast that language with the New York Times story today, “Israel Approves Another Wave of West Bank Settlement Construction,” co-authored by new Jerusalem bureau chief Ian Fisher. It offers these milder phrases that suggest that the world has it out for Israel, once again the victim:
“World leaders have denounced the settlements in the West Bank . . .”
“In a wave of new construction plans that defy the international community . . . ”
I’ll bet the Times‘s inaccurate language is imposed by editors in New York, no matter what Fisher might want to say (as I indicated yesterday). But I have a challenge for the newspaper of record. If it really thinks the “settlements” should not be illegal, it should
1) Say so on its editorial page, and tell us why;
2) and/or quote a legal expert on these matters.
Until then it should respect international law.
Thanks to regular commenter Broadside.
Reading today’s AP story on the newly-announced Israel-sanctioned settler city of 5,500 units, my head exploded when I read Avigdor Liberman’s Facebook comments. I don’t know if he said this last week in response to the news of 2,500 units or this week in response to the news of a whole new settler city, but this is a perfect encapsulation of his mentality and its warped nature: “We are in a new period where life in Judea and Samaria is returning to normal.”
The way anyone could say anything like this. It does really have only one meaning, doesn’t it? Palestinians=not normal?? Of course, the Palestinians have lived there for thousands of years and are probably more than anyone the genetic, legal, and moral descendants of the ancient Jews who Liberman professes to worship and honor.
And note, James, the Times employs the exact opposite approach to “report” on Iran’s firing of a missile, creating a UN violation where none exists.
We’re treated to this “The Trump administration condemned Iran on Wednesday for its recent test of a ballistic missile….”;
and this: “[Michael T. Flynn], the national security adviser, said Iran’s test was the latest in a series of provocative actions that had destabilized the region and violated United Nations resolutions”;
and this “‘The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Iran’s malign actions,’ Mr. Flynn said”;
and this “’You’re going to see us call them out as we said we would, and you are also going to see us act accordingly,’ Nikki R. Haley, the new United States ambassador to the United Nations, said on Tuesday”;
and this “The United States called an urgent meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the matter”…..
Then finally we get to paragraph 17 of 17 paragraphs. “[Iran] has denied that its missiles can carry nuclear warheads, a view that has been supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors parts of the execution of the nuclear agreement.”
RE: “‘NYT’ should stop hiding the truth: settlements are illegal under international law”
MY COMMENT: Perhaps the owners of the New York Times prefer ‘creating their own reality’, as opposed to being part of the “reality-based community”*.
* SEE: ■ Reality-based community – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality-based_community
How’s the NYT’s subscriber list doing?
Another gem from Fisher, this from an article about moving US embassy to Jerusalem, 1/29:
“Israel considers the entire city its capital, and the Palestinians demand that East Jerusalem be the capital of a future state. No embassies are in the city. Most, including the United States Embassy, are in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv, and most world leaders say they will make no moves unless the two sides negotiate a deal on the status of Jerusalem.”
Again, no mention of legality.
This guy’s godawful.