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The Associated Press:
Uprising Without Explanation
A PMWatch Report
June 17, 2002
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Join The Palestine Media Watch AP
group
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The
turmoil in the Middle East has been a top Associated Press story since
the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation broke out in late
September 2000. But amid the constant
daily flow of wire reports depicting violent confrontations between
Palestinians and Israeli soldiers and settlers, a central fact of the
conflict has been missing from almost all AP coverage: that the West
Bank and Gaza are Israeli-occupied territories.
A Lexis-Nexis search of AP Online
wire reports posted throughout the entire year of 2001 showed a total of
1,318 feeds mentioning the West Bank and/or the Gaza Strip in the text. However, just 29 of those feeds (or 2%)
also informed readers in the same text that Israel currently occupies those
lands.
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#
AP Online reports
mentioning
“West Bank”
or
“Gaza”
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#
AP Online reports mentioning “West Bank” or “Gaza” and “occupied” or “occupation” in the same
report
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Percent
of total 2001 reports indicating the status of West Bank or Gaza as occupied
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[Year
2001]
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January
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88
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4
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5%
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February
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136
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3
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3%
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March
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135
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2
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1%
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April
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132
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2
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1%
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May
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165
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8
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5%
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June
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130
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2
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1%
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July
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158
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3
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2%
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August
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94
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0
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0%
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September
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55
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0
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0%
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October
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81
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1
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1%
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November
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63
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3
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5%
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December
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81
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1
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1%
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TOTAL
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1318
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29
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2%
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NOTES:
Duplicate reports are counted once. Short “news briefs” and “general news items” are excluded from
the count. Only reports with
datelines from the West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza, or Israel are counted. Instances of the word “occupied” or
“occupation” appearing within quotes (ie, attributed to a third party) are
excluded from the count.
International
opinion, including that of the United States, has declared Israel's
occupation of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip to be
in contravention of a series of United Nations resolutions (specifically 242
and 338) demanding Israel’s withdrawal from those lands occupied during the
June 1967 Mideast War. Most recently,
on October 7, 2000 the U.N. Security Council voted 14 to 0 for a resolution
condemning Israel’s “excessive use of force against Palestinians” in the
context of its status as the “occupying power.” Furthermore, both the U.N. and U.S. hold
the position that the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides for the
protection of civilians living in “occupied territory,” applies to
Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.
While
the nations of the world differ on many of the details surrounding the
resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, there a wide consensus that
an Israeli military occupation currently exists, and has been in existence
since 1967. However, in Associated
Press reports, this central element of the crisis is almost entirely
exempt from the discussion.
With
this context of occupation missing, AP reporters writing about the
violence in the West Bank and Gaza have been offering what is, in effect, a
daily catalogue of Palestinian aggression and Israeli retaliation stripped of
all context. A survey of AP Online
reports posted during the first two weeks of June 2002 (June 1-14) found that
while 53 reports were filed from the West Bank, Gaza, or Israel during this
period, “occupation” (or some reference to Israel’s status as an occupying
power) was mentioned just 4 times. In
the remaining 49 reports which avoid any reference to the Israeli occupation,
four patterns emerge as to how this basic fact of the Mideast conflict is
treated in AP reports:
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Presenting the Israeli occupation as a mere Arab perception.
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Utilizing euphemisms for the Israeli occupation.
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Referring to acontextual concepts of “fighting” and “violence.”
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Obscuring the fact that the Israeli occupation has been in effect for
35 years.
These
are discussed in detail below.
§
Presenting the Israeli occupation as an Arab perception that is not also
affirmed by U.N. Security Council resolutions, the Fourth Geneva Convention,
and various covenants and protocols of international law:
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Israeli:
Arafat Reform Impossible, Fri Jun 14, 12:02 PM ET
“The Arab monarchy [Saudi Arabia] is pressing
for Israel to withdraw to the borders it held before the 1967 war.”
Israel
Official Backs Powell Plan, Thu Jun 13, 4:03 PM ET
“The official Palestinian position is
that Israel must withdraw from all the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east
Jerusalem.”
Bush
Won’t Announce Palestinian Plan, Thu Jun 13, 4:05 PM ET
“In his White House meetings, al-Faisal [Saudi
official] aimed to reinforce the request of several Arab leaders
that Bush act quickly to create a state and compel Israel to give up all of
the West Bank, Gaza, and part of Jerusalem.”
Israel’s
Sharon Courts Europeans, Wed Jun 12, 2:49 PM ET
“Arab demand for prompt action by Bush to
set up a Palestinian state and to pressure Israel to give up all of the
West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights and part of Jerusalem.”
Israeli
forces Move Into Ramallah, Sun Jun 9, 11:21 PM ET
“The Palestinians want the West Bank and
Gaza for their future state, with a capital in East Jerusalem.”
Violence
Precedes Sharon’s U.S. Visit, Sun Jun 9, 9:26 AM ET
“The more than 100 Jewish settlements in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip have been frequent targets of Palestinian
militants. Palestinians want the
settlements dismantled as part of a Mideast peace agreement.”
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Mubarak
Plans Urgent Appeal to Bush, Fri Jun 7, 7:26 AM ET
“Egypt’s view is that the attacks on
Israel are due directly to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.”
Polls
Show Opposition to Peace Plan, Fri Jun 7, 7:34 AM ET
“Saudi Arabian peace plan that calls for Israel
to withdraw from the territories it captured in the 1967 war….The Palestinians
want a state in all of the West Bank and Gaza, with a capital in east
Jerusalem. They also demand
that all Jewish settlements be dismantled.”
Troops
Blow Up 3 Arafat Buildings, Thu Jun 6, 7:11 AM ET
“Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east
Jerusalem, claimed by the Palestinians”
Israeli
Tanks Circle Arafat’s Office, Wed Jun 5, 9:09 PM ET
“Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip
and East Jerusalem, claimed by the Palestinians”
Mubarak
to Ask Bush for Timetable, Tue Jun 4, 2:09 AM ET
“Suicide bombing attacks are the result of
Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the [Egyptian] foreign
minister said.”
Israel
Beginning Land Seizures, Mon Jun 3, 10:25 AM ET
“In 1967, Israel captured the West Bank and
began building Jewish settlements there.
Today, some 200,000 settlers live in communities built on territory
claimed by Palestinians.”
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§
Utilizing
euphemisms for the Israeli occupation, such as lands “lost” by the Arabs or
“captured” and “held” by Israel.
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Palestinians
Want End to Militias, Fri Jun 14, 9:12 AM ET
“Israel’s border before the capture of
the West Bank”
Israeli:
Arafat Reform Impossible, Fri Jun 14, 12:02 PM ET
“land the Arabs lost
to Israel”
Israel
Official Backs Powell Plan, Thu Jun 13, 4:03 PM ET
“1967 Middle East war, when Israel captured
the territories”
Mideast
Q & A,
Thu Jun 13, 4:59 PM ET
“lands Arabs lost
to Israel in 1967”
Sharon
to Meet With Bush Today, Mon Jun 10, 7:39 AM ET
“lands captured
during the 1967 Six-Day War”
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Israeli
forces Move Into Ramallah, Sun Jun 9, 11:21 PM ET
“West Bank and Gaza Strip, which it [Israel] captured
in the 1967 Mideast War”
Bush
to Present Mideast Peace Ideas, Fri Jun 7, 12:55 PM ET
“ending Israel’s hold
on the West Bank and Gaza”
Troops
Blow Up 3 Arafat Buildings, Thu Jun 6, 7:11 AM ET
“Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and
East Jerusalem”
Mubarak
to Ask Bush for Timetable, Tue Jun 4, 2:09 AM ET
“Israel’s hold on the
West Bank and Gaza”
Israel
Beginning Land Seizures, Mon Jun 3, 10:25 AM ET
“Israel captured the
West Bank”
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§
Referring to vague concepts of “Palestinian-Israeli fighting” or
“Palestinian violence” without any further clarification of what is at the
root of this fighting or violence.
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Palestinians
Want End to Militias, Fri Hun 14, 9:12 AM ET
“21 months of fighting”
Israeli: Arafat Reform Impossible, Fri Jun 14, 12:02 PM ET
“He [Israeli army chief of staff] urged Palestinians to…halt
violence so both sides can get back to peace negotiations.”
Peres, Palestinians Hold Talks, Fri Jun 14, 7:39 AM ET
“Sharon ruled out peace negotiations with the Palestinians until
all violence stops.”
Israeli Official Backs Powell Plan, Thu Jun 13, 4:03 PM ET
“Negotiations aimed at working out a permanent
peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in January 2001
amid Palestinian violence….more than 20 months of violence
has dampened enthusiasm for peace negotiations on both sides….Sharon has
said…negotiations cannot begin until all violence ceases”
Mideast Q & A, Thu Jun 13, 4:59 PM ET
“Bush…is expected to also call for tougher measures to stop violence
against Israelis.”
Israel Transfers Palestinian Funds, Wed Jun 12, 9:49 AM ET
“since the outbreak of fighting in September 2000”
Three Injured in Israel Bus Bombing, Thu Jun 11, 9:14 AM ET
“The Israeli leader reiterated his position that violence must
end”
[continues]
Failed Palestinian Suicide Bomber, Treated in
Israeli Hospital, Has No Regrets, Mon Jun 10, 9:35 PM ET
“in the twisted world of Palestinian-Israeli violence”
Two Jihad Leaders Arrested in Gaza, Mon Jun 10, 12:12 PM ET
“20 month old Palestinian uprising”
Three Israelis Killed in West Bank, Sat Jun 8, 7:21 AM
ET
“21 months of fighting”
Arafat Dismisses Expulsion Fears, Thu Jun 6, 9:58 PM ET
“The daily violence and counterstrikes also threatened to
undermine new U.S. efforts to bring an end to more than 20 months of
fighting.”
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Car Bomber Just
Learned to Drive, Thu Jun 6, 5:23 PM ET
“Palestinian-Israeli violence erupted 20 months ago”
Israelis Debate Expelling Arafat, Thu Jun 6, 4:55 PM ET
“20 months of violence….ongoing Palestinian-Israeli
violence”
Israeli Tanks Circle Arafat’s
Office,
Wed Jun 5, 9:09 PM ET
“Since the current Mideast fighting erupted in September
2000”
Israel: Bombers Tried to Use
Cyanide,
Wed Jun 5, 5:49 PM ET
“20 months of Israeli-Palestinian fighting”
Bush Administration Faults Arafat, Wed Jun 5, 2:31 PM ET
“35th anniversary of the 1967 Mideast War”
Driver of Bombed Bus Survives Again, Wed Jun 5, 7:10 AM ET
“35th anniversary of the 1967 Mideast War….20 months of Israeli-Palestinian
fighting”
Car Bomb Kills Seven on Bus in
Northern Israel, Police Say, Wed Jun 5, 1:34 AM ET
“since the current Mideast fighting erupted in September
2000”
Arafat Presents Security Changes, Tue Jun 4, 10:31 AM ET
“In the past 20 months of fighting,
Palestinian suicide bombers have carried out scores of attacks”
Tenet to Press for Palestinian
Reform,
Mon Jun 3, 7:29 AM ET
“more than 60 suicide attacks by Palestinians in the current
Mideast conflict”
[continues]
Report: Arafat Offers Posts to Hamas, Sun Jun 2, 3:36 PM ET
“20 months of Mideast fighting….Palestinians are determined
to continue the violent conflict”
Officials Push for Mideast Summit, Sun Jun 2, 10:35 AM ET
“ongoing fighting….20 months of violence”
Israeli Troops Search for Militants, Sat Jun 1, 9:46 AM ET
“20 months of Mideast
violence”
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§
Obscuring the
fact that the Israeli occupation has continued uninterrupted since 1967,
particularly in recent reports on Israel’s plan to construct a fence between
Israel and the West Bank.
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Palestinians Want End to Militias, Fri Jun 14, 9:12 AM ET
“The army has already seized about 30 square
miles of West Bank land.”
Israeli
Tanks Circle Arafat’s Office, Wed Jun 5, 9:09 PM ET
“In Israel, there were growing calls for the
army to reoccupy the West Bank.”
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Arafat
Presents Security Changes, Tue Jun 4, 10:31 AM ET
“Israel has so far seized 31 square miles of
Palestinian land”
Israel
Beginning Land Seizures, Mon Jun 3, 10:25 AM ET
“West of Jenin…27 square miles was taken. South of the Palestinian town of
Tulkarem, 3 square miles was taken….The two patches, both close to
the border with Israel, constitute just over 1 percent of the entire West
Bank.”
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Finally, it is noteworthy that the AP
continues to make the misleading claim to this day that Israel offered the
Palestinians 90 percent of the West Bank at the 2000 Camp David talks. On
June 13, Mark Lavie writes:
“At a summit
meeting at Camp David in July 2000, followed up by written proposals from
then-President Clinton, the Palestinians did not accept an offer of a state
in more than 90 percent of the West Bank, all of the Gaza Strip and a
foothold in Jerusalem, holding out for the right of all Palestinian refugees
from the 1948-49 war and their descendants -- about 4 million people -- to
return to their original homes in Israel, a concept Israel rejects.”
--
Israeli Official Backs Powell Plan, Thu Jun 13, 4:03 PM ET
It
has become a pervasive myth in the media that Barak’s Camp David II offer was
“generous” and offered the Palestinians almost all of the West Bank, despite
the fact that Israel presented no maps of what it intended to return to the
Palestinians. It is also significant
to note that Israel has redefined the borders of what it considers “the West
Bank.” The definition under
international law is that the West Bank comprises all the territory occupied
in 1967 which had previously been under Jordanian rule, including east
Jerusalem. Israel’s definition of the
West Bank excludes East Jerusalem as well as all lands confiscated since 1967
to become part of “greater” Jerusalem.
A analysis of the Israeli proposals at Camp David II published by the
Foundation for Middle East Peace (December 2000) found that Israel only
proposed to relinquish control over between 77.5-81 percent of the West Bank
-- excluding East Jerusalem and wanted sovereignty over one-third of
east Jerusalem.
Therefore,
the actual amount of land from which Israel proposed to withdraw is
considerably less than 90 percent.
Furthermore,
another June 13 report by Sally Buzbee asserts that Palestinians already
“control about 40 percent of the West Bank and two thirds of Gaza.” (Mideast
Q & A, Thu Jun 13, 4:59 PM ET).
In fact, only 17.2 percent of the West Bank is defined as part of
Palestinian autonomous “Area A.”
Israel retains ultimate “security control” in Area B, which accounts
for 23.8 percent of the West Bank.
Although these two numbers do add up to 41 percent, the reality of
rule in Areas A and B is very different, with Area B only affording the
Palestinians nominal “civil control.”
The proportion of effective control -- Area A -- is therefore only
17.2 percent.
RECOMMENDATION
The
Associated Press, whose wire service reports form the basis of hundreds of
print and broadcast reports throughout the world, must clearly identify the
status of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem as Israeli-occupied
territories when reporting on the conflict in the Middle East.
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