Letters to the Media

This morning’s performance by Gradstein was almost as ridiculous as my little joke above. When speaking on Weekend Edition Sunday about the thing that Israel is building through the West Bank to physically divide the land and annex vast swathes of the occupied territories to Israel, Gradstein said that Israel calls it a “fence” while Palestinians call it “the wall, with echoes of the Berlin wall.” EI’s Ali Abunimah calls NPR on Gradstein’s latest misrepresentations.

Following a 26 June 2003 Associated Press article “Israelis Exonerated in Activist’s Death”, which would have been more honestly titled “Israel exonerates itself in activist’s death,” EI’s Nigel Parry wrote to AP International Editor Sally Jacobsen to protest the writer’s unjustifiable linking of the International Solidarity Movement with terrorism. This letter is a follow-up to first. To date (10 July 2003), neither letter has received a response.

Following a 26 June 2003 Associated Press article “Israelis Exonerated in Activist’s Death”, which would have been more honestly titled “Israel exonerates itself in activist’s death,” EI’s Nigel Parry wrote to AP International Editor Sally Jacobsen to protest the writer’s unjustifiable linking of the International Solidarity Movement with terrorism.

“Today on Morning Edition, Linda Gradstein gave an upbeat report about a mixed school for Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jews. She reported how successful the school is and how more and more parents are signing up. She stated that “normally” Arabs and Jews attend separate schools in Israel. But she left out one tiny little detail….” EI’s Ali Abunimah takes NPR to task for reporter Linda Gradstein’s latest distortions.

Just after the publication of the Middle East ‘road map’ Israeli forces attacked Gaza killing at least 8 Palestinians, including a two-year old child and a 13-year old. EI’s Ali Abunimah asks why NPR once again ignored this news.

On 24 April, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on school children near Ramallah, killing a student and a taxi driver, and injuring several others. Also, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up and an Israeli security guard. National Public Radio reported only on the latter, demonstrating an incredible double standard, as EI’s Ali Abunimah writes.

On March 30, the Washington Post published the last e-mails of Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer driver, on 16 March 2003 in Gaza. On April 19, the Post published a letter by CAMERA director Eric Rozenman, entitled “Last E-Mails of an Indoctrinated Activist”, attacking Corrie. Adam Shapiro, organizer of the International Solidarity Movement that Corrie worked with in Gaza, responded with this letter to the Post, published on April 25th.

“None of these people would have gotten hurt if they had minded their own business and closed their eyes to the shootings of Palestinians. Yet I’ve talked with ISM activists in New Haven who are certain that their work is vital. When they’re around, Israeli soldiers shoot less and the international news media pay more attention. That saves lives.” Stanley Heller of the New Haven, CT Middle East Crisis Committee sends a letter to the editor of his local paper.

Occasional EI contributer Michael Brown had the following letter published in Ha’aretz newspaper.

NPR’s Linda Gradstein badly distorts the situation in Hebron in her latest report from the occupied city. EI’s Ali Abunimah explains in a letter to the radio network.