Tuesday, March 26, 2002

Great Moments in Arab Journalism
Al-Jazeera wanted to interview Ariel Sharon - on speakerphone

To the untrained observer, Palestinian propaganda seems like a mix of exaggeration, overconfidence, and misinformation. But I've thought that what the Palestinians attribute to the Israelis is actually a window on what the Palestinians themselves are thinking(ie. what psychologists call "transference").

Case in point: News agencies report that Yasser Abed Rabbo said that "Sharon is `obsessed with committing massacres and slaughter''", which sounds like a
perfect description of what Arafat's Fatah group is up to.

Palestine TV This is hilarious. The Palestinians have started a television newscast where they try to translate their distinctive style of propaganda into Hebrew:

"Palestinian territories are referred to as "districts of the homeland." Palestinian gunmen killed by Israeli forces are called "heroes" even when they were attacking civilians.The program has coined a new word, "shaheedim," using the Arabic word for martyr and adding a Hebrew suffix to describe those killed by Israel."

The Associated Press just can't not take this seriously though, since they start off by describing the telecasts as an alternative to the Israeli media. And it's only at the end of the dispatch that the AP tells you that the PA broadcasts include fabricated reports of supposed Israeli cruelty.

Monday, March 25, 2002

Haaretz has a description of the Arab Summit "peace plan". It does (for now) include the words "normal relations", but you can't call it a "plan" because it depends on finding a "just solution" for the refugee issue.

It also calls for Israel to withdraw from "remaining parts of South Lebanon", though even the UN claims that Israel is out of Lebanon.

Most notably, It includes no mention of a ceasefire or a promise to crack down on terrorist organizations.

Anyone know what Security Council resolution 1397 is?
Went out for a burger last night on Emek Refaim - about a block away from the attempted Caffit bombing 10 days ago. This burger place actually keeps the door locked and then unlocked it to allow patrons to enter and leave.