Clueless in Jerusalem

[dafka]

Today's New York Times news analysis by James Bennett is a case study showing how clueless reporters for our premier newspapers can be. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/07/international/07SHAR.html

James Bennett, the Times Jerusalem bureau chief, apparently hasn't seen the evidence connecting Arafat with the financing and planning of terror attacks. Nor has he seen Arafat's speeches calling for the liberation of all of Palestine and " a million martyrs to march on Jerusalem" Through the magical power of wishful thinking he still believes that Arafat wants his famous " peace of the brave," and that only if the Israelis could be a lot little bit more forthcoming, the happy days of Oslo agreement would return. The real villain, Bennett believes, is the Bulldozer Ariel Sharon who has never wanted peace and continues to obstruct it.

Here are Bennett's words:

Mr. Arafat's policy toward Israel is ambiguous. He speaks of a "peace of the brave" but, lacking any gains to show for so much bloodshed, he does not take the political gamble of trying to stop the conflict.
Mr. Sharon, who is known as the Bulldozer, is neither ambivalent nor ambiguous. He opposed the 1993 Oslo peace accords, which returned Mr. Arafat to Ramallah. He has expressed regret that Israel did not kill Mr. Arafat in Lebanon 20 years ago, and for his promise to President Bush not to harm him now. Maybe we should take up a collection and buy Bennett a hearing aid.

[L@mplighterM]

It’s arrogant for a leader to publicly announce that ‘We should have killed Arafag’. It’s an invitation for criticism from all around the world and it certainly doesn’t gain support for Israel. Is there any reason that this should be announced to the world? What positive purpose did it serve?

I agree that he should have been eliminated in 1983 when Sharon decided against giving the orders to have him executed.

A greater mistake in judgment occurred when Arafat was allowed to return from Tunisia.

[elke]

It goes back to the fact that Israel's leaders are not PR savvy. Unfortunately, until they realize that it's an important battle, little can be done by anyone else to improve the situation.

The only thing I don't understand is:
These people are quite intelligent, so how come they don't realize the importance of PR?

[Mediocrates]

The degree to wish you believe that you are simply and plainly right and righteous is inversely proportional to the degree to which you recognize the necessity of marketing. And conversely. If you believe that you've make up a story, then that's what you'll do.

Which of these has a bigger ad budget: fast food or feeding starving children?

[elke]

Originally posted by Mediocrates
The degree to wish you believe that you are simply and plainly right and righteous is inversely proportional to the degree to which you recognize the necessity of marketing. And conversely. If you believe that you've make up a story, then that's what you'll do.

Which of these has a bigger ad budget: fast food or feeding starving children?

That's true. But as Sears found out a few years ago, when they tried to advertise as "low prices always, no sale events" - they were wrong!

[RichardP]

Originally posted by dafka
Today's New York Times news analysis by James Bennett is a case study showing how clueless reporters for our premier newspapers can be. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/07/international/07SHAR.html

James Bennett, the Times Jerusalem bureau chief, apparently hasn't seen the evidence connecting Arafat with the financing and planning of terror attacks. Nor has he seen Arafat's speeches calling for the liberation of all of Palestine and " a million martyrs to march on Jerusalem" Through the magical power of wishful thinking he still believes that Arafat wants his famous " peace of the brave," and that only if the Israelis could be a lot little bit more forthcoming, the happy days of Oslo agreement would return. The real villain, Bennett believes, is the Bulldozer Ariel Sharon who has never wanted peace and continues to obstruct it.

Here are Bennett's words:
Maybe we should take up a collection and buy Bennett a hearing aid.
Even then, the SOB would only have selective hearing! Bennett is steroytpical of the left-wing media. They pander to Arafat the Nobel Peace Prize recipient which is perverse. I suspect that those of the same ilk will lobby the Vatican, to nominate, Arafat for sainthood! They didn't do much to block the "Final Solution"... though, honestly, not many did! Sound familiar?