In our daily scourings of the Internet for Israel news, the JPF frequently comes across articles that contain errors, tell only half the story or simply repeat the Palestinian narrative without question. And then there are times when “journalists” decide to completely twist a story because their only goal is to tarnish Israel. Enter Rosie Perper of Business Insider:
The Israeli government decides to hire more immigration enforcement officers in response to massive illegal immigration and that is your headline? There is a lot one can legitimately say about the way Israel is handling its crisis with illegal immigration, but this headline is not just misleading, it is disgusting.
And it is part of a pattern. Does anyone think that if Germany decided to hire more immigration inspectors it would be reported this way? Of course not. But if there is a chance to make Israel look evil for doing something any normal country would do, well then why not print it?
Is Israel paying its citizens to deport illegal immigrants? Of course not, but according to Business Insider it is. Is the Palestinian Authority paying its citizens to murder Jews? Of course it is, but not according to Business Insider.
Just look at Perper’s article from last week, “Israel passed a new law hampering chances for peace, right before Trump blamed the Palestinians.” She is quick to report on the new law that requires a 2/3 majority to divide Jerusalem as part of a peace deal, but doesn’t mention the fact that the law itself could be repealed with a simple majority. Why say that Israeli politicians were just playing to the crowds by passing a popular but ultimately meaningless law? Because that would make Israeli politicians sound like, well, normal politicians and not uniquely evil people bent on destroying peace.
She of course finds the time to say that Abbas “has previously stated Palestine would only agree to peace if Israel agreed to a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital for a future Palestinian state,” but just doesn’t seem to have enough room to mention the fact that not only has he refused to negotiate for the past three years, but he walked away from negotiations that included a guaranteed Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem!
Sadly, Perper isn’t unique or even the worst offender, but her last sentence perfectly sums up the way Western journalists see the situation:
With Washington supporting Israel’s claims to Jerusalem, Israel is unlikely to concede to Palestinian demands, leaving the future of peace as unlikely as ever.
The only way to achieve peace is for Israel to concede to Palestinian demands! This isn’t an op-ed, this is presented as an accepted truth… because it is in the Western press.
