Wetherhorn

I stopped writing Gaza war entries a while ago, mostly because my wife was not well. She is home from the hospital now and I am resuming updates.

I want to start by reminding all of you who read this that the overall status of the most popular media that I follow has not changed, CNN, Sky News, and France 24 TV (and other media) broadcasts are still anti-Israel and pro-Islamist. Their bias shows in the way they report the news from the Middle East. Arab sources, especially the Gaza Ministry of Health, are accepted as unqualified truth, while Israeli sources are presented as suspect. The reporters for those channels are very aware that if they do not report what Hamas wants them to show, they (and possibly their network) will be banned from reporting from inside Gaza. Hamas provides photographers and cameramen, and carefully reads what everyone says. I was once a holder of an Israeli press card, and know from hearing stories from other journalists as well as from my own experience that this is true.

The hot topic recently has been the release of 3 female hostages by Hamas. What is not covered well is that Israel released 90 female terrorists in return. Those women were allowed to go free in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Included among them were convicted murderers. The exchange rate of 30 to 1 might also show how much Hamas actually values human life.

Arabic language news sources DID cover the release of the terrorists. Some western sources based their own reporting on those sources.  For now, I just want to remind you all that The London based paper Al Sharq Al Awsad is owned by the Saudis (who have consistently supported the establishment of a Palestinian State.) The Saudi owned paper issued for local consumption is Al Riyadh. All Arab language papers, whether printed at home or overseas, share a common characteristic; they never criticize the rulers of their home country. Most of them are also supporters of the Arab Brotherhood and would be happy to see a new Pan-Arab Islamic union.

In the next few days I expect to comment about Hamas financing, Asymmetric Warfare, Islamic Radicalism, and the attitudes of the UN and many other governments, as well as the legal precedents that preceded the establishment of Israel and the origins of the “Arab Refugee problem”.