- (1) Being
rude to pro-Palestinian interviewees, but always remaining respectful
when speaking to the pro-Israelis: often, Palestinians are cutt
off in mid-sentence, lectured, often voices are raised against them
in anger or irritation -- even if the speaker is a respected Palestinian
official (e.g., Paula Zahn of CNN cutting off Hanan Ashrawi or raising
her voice in anger against Edward Said).
- (2) Always
asking pro-Palestinians challenging questions, but rarely doing the
same for the pro-Israelis: a pro-Palestinian may be asked: why
did the Palestinians spurn the Barak offer?; but a pro-Israeli is
never asked: why should the Palestinians accept a state that is made
up of four disconnected areas?
- (3) Never
asking the Israelis some very basic questions: why did Israel
double the size of settlements in the Occupied territories between
1993 and 200 if it really wanted peace?, why won't Israel accept an
international observation force?, how can Sharon call on Arafat to
stop terrorism and yet at the same time destroy the very instruments
that he needs to fight it?
- (4) often
bringing in many more pro-Israeli voices than pro-Palestinian voices,
and often starting interviews with pro-Palestinians and giving the
pro-Israelis the last word.
- (5) Rarely
interviewing a non-Palestinian/non-Arab supporter of the Palestinian
cause, while often interviewing non-Israeli pro-Israeli speakers,
even though very qualified scholars and activists do exist.
- (6) Rarely
bringing pro-Palestinian Israelis (while giving ample time to
Arab/Muslim establishment apologists such as Ajami, Zakariya, Ijazi).
- (7) Bringing
in notorious pro-Israelis and presenting them as objective analysts
-- e.g., Daniel Pipes, Steve Emerson, Joseph Farah.
- (8) Blatantly
loading questions: as in, why is Arafat letting Hamas engage in
terror? or, will Sharon abandon his policy of restraint?
- (9) Rarely
seeking a Palestinian-American living in the Occupied Territories
for interviews and reactions, while often seeking out Israeli-Americans
living in Israel.
- (10) Rarely,
if ever, having the interview be focused on Palestinian suffering
and what the Israelis need to do to stop it, but often having
the interview be about the terror Israelis are suffering and what
the Palestinians need to do about it.
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