NUJ Nudge
The UK's National Union of Journalists have been bashing Israel again at their annual conference.
During what must have been the lunch break (or a fire drill) there was a 66-54 vote denouncing Israel for its military adventurism in Lebanon and calling for a boycott of Israeli goods on the same basis (and presumably with the same justification) as was used against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
As you may have noticed from my blogs, I have a fascination with timing and the coincidence of events as reported from week to week.
Two thoughts emerge from this story:
1) Whenever the spectre of apartheid is raised in condemnation of Israel, I always remark that I cannot remember a single black man ever serving in the Verwoerd government.
Curious therefore that in the same week as this loony vote brands Israel as an apartheid state, the lead story in Israel is about an Arab member of the Israeli parliament who has gone AWOL.
2) Also this week we have seen demonstrations by journalists in Gaza calling for the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnstone, kidnapped by Arab gunmen a month ago.
Perhaps those journalists might reflect that the reason why their dear colleague was kidnapped is because Gaza is a lawless territory of warring gangs. It is so because terrorism has been rewarded with cash from the EU and cajolement from those same journalists, including Johnstone, who play by the PA rules of reporting. That is to say: if you want access to stories and safe passage in Gaza, make sure your postings are sympathetic to our cause.
The National Union of Journalists' vote may well have been directed at appeasing the terrorists and getting Johnstone released. But in the long run it will only endanger others in their profession.
Footnote: Now that I think of it, where were the journalists and their demonstrations after the kidnap and execution of Daniel Pearl?
.
During what must have been the lunch break (or a fire drill) there was a 66-54 vote denouncing Israel for its military adventurism in Lebanon and calling for a boycott of Israeli goods on the same basis (and presumably with the same justification) as was used against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
As you may have noticed from my blogs, I have a fascination with timing and the coincidence of events as reported from week to week.
Two thoughts emerge from this story:
1) Whenever the spectre of apartheid is raised in condemnation of Israel, I always remark that I cannot remember a single black man ever serving in the Verwoerd government.
Curious therefore that in the same week as this loony vote brands Israel as an apartheid state, the lead story in Israel is about an Arab member of the Israeli parliament who has gone AWOL.
2) Also this week we have seen demonstrations by journalists in Gaza calling for the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnstone, kidnapped by Arab gunmen a month ago.
Perhaps those journalists might reflect that the reason why their dear colleague was kidnapped is because Gaza is a lawless territory of warring gangs. It is so because terrorism has been rewarded with cash from the EU and cajolement from those same journalists, including Johnstone, who play by the PA rules of reporting. That is to say: if you want access to stories and safe passage in Gaza, make sure your postings are sympathetic to our cause.
The National Union of Journalists' vote may well have been directed at appeasing the terrorists and getting Johnstone released. But in the long run it will only endanger others in their profession.
Footnote: Now that I think of it, where were the journalists and their demonstrations after the kidnap and execution of Daniel Pearl?
.
posted by Zalmi | 1:13 am
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