Let the Media Report from Somewhere Else

Because of the relative safety and security here (not to mention easy access to creature comforts and libations unavailable, or even forbidden, elsewhere in the region), most of the world's media outlets base their Bureau Chiefs and reporting staff for the entire Middle East here in Israel.

Although the close proximity and ease of access keeps Israel under a microscope, one would think it would at least have the benefit of ensuring accurate reporting.

One would be wrong.

As most of you are aware, two Palestinian terrorists broke into a Jerusalem Synagogue and Yeshiva this morning with guns and knives, murdering four worshipers and wounding seven others.

Aside from the media's usual rush to justify or excuse this savage attack, two of the most 'respected' media outlets got it so wrong that it is impossible to believe that these were honest mistakes.

First, CNN was in the midst of an interview with Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat, when they put the following banner across the screen for viewers to see:

[source]

Yes, that's right, for those who had their TV volume turned down or who were not paying full attention to the interview, those savage Israelis had attacked a house of worship of the 'Religion of Peace'.

And as I type this, the New York Times still has the following as their front page online coverage:

 

Here's a closer look:

Note that nowhere in the article on the left does it mention who carried out the attack.  Not "Two Arab assailants...".  Not "Two Palestinian assailants...".  Just "two assailants armed with gun...".  And look at this!  Despite the availability of countless moving photos of the synagogue and victims, the Times editorial staff decided to run with a photo of two masked Israeli policemen wielding assault rifles... which could lead the uninformed (i.e. the Times' target audience) to surmise that it was these Israeli police officers  who had inexplicably carried out the attack on the Jewish worshipers!

Even when presenting information that is technically / factually correct, the media - NY Times chief among them - loves to arrange the written and visual information in such a way as to confuse the facts and vilify us.

There's an old saying, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!"

The Palestinian terrorists I can't do anything about.  They are lower than animals, and such barbarity is in their nature.  But nowhere in international law does it say I have to compound my suffering by playing host to a foreign press bent on destroying my standing in the international community!

I think the time has come to give deportation orders to every last foreign journalist in the country.

I'm not kidding.  We give them unprecedented access and freedom of movement (as befits a modern, open democracy) and they still go out of their way to make us look worse than Al Qaeda and ISIS combined!

Seriously, the anti-semites of the world will hate us no matter what we do (or don't do).  But I see no reason to play host to a hostile media that spends a disproportionate amount of its time and resources trying to convert the rest of the world into anti-semites.

If the media is going to lynch us even when we are in-arguably the victim, let them do their reporting from somewhere else. 

I hear Damascus and Baghdad are nice this time of year.