Soccer Dad

Newspapers investigate journalistic misconduct - not!

Following on the heels of the Ha'aretz report that soldiers did not abide by the IDF's code of morality, the NYT reports Soldiers' Accounts of Gaza Killings Raise Furor in Israel (via memeorandum)

The testimonies by soldiers, leaked to the newspapers Maariv and Haaretz, appeared in a journal published by a military preparatory course at the Oranim Academic College in the northern town of Tivon. The newspapers promised to release more such anecdotal accounts on Friday, without saying how many.

The academy's director, Dany Zamir, told Israel Radio, "Those were very harsh testimonies about unjustified shooting of civilians and destruction of property that conveyed an atmosphere in which one feels entitled to use unrestricted force against Palestinians."

The revelations caused an immediate uproar here, with some soldiers and reservists saying they did not recognize the stories being told as accurate.

Nice of Bronner to acknowledge that not everyone believes these stories to be accurate.

The Washington Post weighs in with Israeli Military Probes Possible Troop Misconduct in Gaza War

Zamir, who leads the Rabin Pre-Military Academy in Oranim, in northern Israel, held a meeting this year for alumni of the program to meet with prospective students, according to an IDF spokeswoman.

Some of the alumni had served in Operation Cast Lead, the 22-day Israeli offensive in December and January aimed at the Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. What they said "shocked us," Zamir said, according to Thursday's published reports. The institute, which has a curriculum that focuses on Jewish and military values, published the stories in a newsletter sent to its graduates. Zamir also contacted the IDF chief of staff.

Approximately 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed during the war, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The operation was launched in response to rocket fire into Israel by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups. Thirteen Israelis died during the operation, including three civilians.

In an interview broadcast on Israel Radio, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he considered Israel's military "the most moral in the world," though "that doesn't mean there are no exceptions."

Jameel, who did not serve, but knew some soldiers who did, writes:

Now, I know plenty of soldiers who saw action in Gaza during the "Cast Lead" operation, and no one that I know saw anything remotely similar to what Haaretz described.

Fast forward to a few minutes ago. Channel 2 TV Army correspondent Roni Daniel stated at 6:30 PM this evening, that he personally tracked down one of the soldiers interviewed for the Haaretz article. Apparently the soldier's testimony to Haaretz wasn't based on anything he personally saw or witnessed, rather based on rumors and hearsay he heard (and the soldier wasn't even in Gaza!)

Truth is rarely important to Haaretz, as long as it can bash the IDF, Israel, settlers, religious Jews, or anyone not agreeing with them.

Though the Times and Post didn't get around to this, Yediot Ahronot (Ynet) published a report that contradicts the Ha'aretz scoop. (h/t Israel Matzav)

It is true that in war morality can be interpreted in many different ways, and there are always a few idiots who act inappropriately, but most of the troops represented Israel honorably,' soldier says in response to claims of immoral behavior during Operation Cast Lead. Reservist: Claims 'fictitious'. 'Free Gaza' movement demands international investigation

Israel Matzav concludes:

Knowing the extent to which the IDF goes to avoid harming civilians, claiming that there were widespread violations of its ethical code during Operation Cast Lead strain credibility.

Elder of Ziyon observes:

The next few days will be interesting, as we will see if any IDF soldiers step up to corroborate the stories told earlier. What is clear, however, is that if there were any lapses it was not because of IDF policy nor from the conduct of the vast majority of soldiers.

Equally clear is that the world will harshly judge an entire people based on the the slightest, out-of-context and possibly fictional claims. Certainly they should be investigated but not by a world that has already convicted Israel.

Elder of Ziyon isn't making that charge up either. I checked the NY Times archive for the supposed Jenin massacre seven years ago. Headlines tell me that the Times was promoting the story as a possible massacre that Israel did not want investigated.

On August 2, 2002, The Times finally reported that a UN commission found that no massacre had been committed. Great, so the Times followed the story and noted when their version fell apart. Well actually, that gives the Times much too much credit.

You see about two weeks after the attack an Israeli officer, Dr. David Zangen gave an account that contradicted the overblown charges.

Dr. Zangen, who found himself in the eye of the storm, is appalled at the attempt to portray the IDF as an immoral army. "There are those who say that the events in Jenin were like a holocaust. However, if you were to enter the camp, you would find that only a few dozen homes were destroyed. These were homes that were booby-trapped for the purpose of killing soldiers. This was a fortress of terrorism. 200 terrorists wired up the camp with booby-traps, they took control of it and recruited suicide bombers at every opportunity. In recent years, a third of the suicide bombers have come from the Jenin refugee camp. We found photo albums with pictures of children wearing explosive belts; studio photographs of future shahidim [martyrs], children aged between 16 and 18, who want to kill Israelis in suicide attacks. All the homes in the refugee camp are covered with wall-to-wall pictures of martyrs. It is unbelievable. These [martyrs] are their heroes.

Their aim was to carry out suicide attacks against the IDF soldiers. If there were innocent civilians in the area, they were either the hostages of the terrorists or collaborators. In any case, during each stage of the fighting, we called out to all those who did not want to fight - to leave the homes. The terrorists exploited the departure of these people, and they were shooting at us."

Though Zangen's remarks were published, the Times did not see fit to report them. Rather the Times waited three months, keeping Israel on the defensive. And the Times even brought back Serge Schmeman to help with the reporting duties at that time, so ignoring Zangen had to have been willful.

Though Bronner reported that it was possible that not all the charges against the IDF may be accurate, he did little reporting to support that claim. Given the Jenin experience don't expect the MSM to behave fairly towards Israel now.

I anxiously await a story headlined: "Hamas investigating charges that civilians were targeted." I won't hold my breath.

Crossposted on Yourish.

Posted by SoccerDad at March 20, 2009 4:17 AM