The Spectra of Reuters Media Bias rises againA Picture tells a thousand lies.

Another Palestinian Puff piece written by Gaza based Nidal al-Mughrabi, masquerading as News. It seems that Journalistic standards at Reuters continue to sink lower and lower. Despite the obvious bias to this piece of Journalism, it has been carried by many newspapers of the world's press. See just how many here: Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

When a news agency such as Reuters has such coverage, it has a responsibility to ensure its journalist operate in a Professional, objective and non biased way.

Have a look at this article and a Photo titled exactly the same released in Parallel with the article. Both article and Photo via Reuters.

El - Reuters is becoming the laughing stock of the media world.

Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza [Reuters Oct 19]
This Photo has the same title as the story below.
It adds an emotive almost sad scene when paired with the story
bearing the same name. [But see the full description of the Photo**]

Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza
By Nidal al-Mugrabi

JABALYA, Gaza Strip, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Officially, Mahmoud Jnaid does not exist. The 25-year-old Palestinian almost made that a reality earlier this month when he doused himself with petrol and tried to set himself alight.

Lets get this clear some one tries to set themselves a light? Are you kiding me? What sort of imbecile couldn't set themselves alight? Did he run out of matches? Lighter broke? Really this is Newsworthy that someone tried to light themselves on fire in front of an assembled News Media crew? You don't suspect it might of been a staged event for the weekly protests? Or rather is Nidal al-Mugrabi trying to sensationlise another biased boring poorly written propaganda piece for the Palestinians.

Jnaid is one of about 54,000 displaced Palestinians who returned to Gaza and the West Bank from abroad after an interim peace accord in 1993, but still have no identity cards because Israel refuses to approve them. Following years of silence, they recently started holding weekly protests in Hamas-run Gaza to demand the documents, which they need to travel as well as for daily basics like opening a bank account or getting a driving licence.

"I am Mr Nobody," said Jnaid, who, at one of the protests, doused himself in petrol and tried to set himself alight before onlookers overpowered him.

"When I poured the petrol on my body I felt life was the same as death," he said as he sat next to his wife and children.

Jnaid was born in Jordan after his family fled their home in the coastal strip after the 1967 war with Israel. He returned to Gaza in 1995 at the age of 13 but still has no ID card.

In a stroke of bitter irony, Jnaid's brother was finally granted identity papers two weeks after he was killed in a protest against Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

"It was worthless, they recognised him only when he died," Jnaid said.

Israel has closed Gaza's borders to everything but humanitarian supplies since Islamist group Hamas seized control of the territory, home to 1.5 million people, in June and ousted its secular Fatah rivals. The economy is in meltdown.

"I have to take care of six children now and I am out of a job for three months," said Jnaid, an unemployed carpenter.

"GHOSTS"
Israel granted identity cards to some 3,500 Palestinians in the West Bank earlier this month as part of efforts to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah ahead of an Israeli-Palestinian conference on statehood.

But there is little hope the goodwill will extend to Gaza, which Israel recently branded an "enemy entity" because militants in the territory regularly fire rockets into the Jewish state.

Under the 1993 peace accords, Israel must approve all Palestinian personal documents, including ID cards.

Yes and under these same peace accords known in the West as the Oslo Peace Accords Mr Nidal al-Mughrabi the Palestinians were supposed to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, and renounced terrorism, violence and its desire for the destruction of Israel. Yet you make no mention what so ever of this?

Jnaid says living in Gaza is like being in jail. His uncle and a younger brother died a few months ago in neighbouring Egypt, but Jnaid could not attend their funerals.

When he asked for permission to travel to Israel or Egypt for eye surgery, his request was rejected.

"Those in Israeli jails live in small cells, I am too a prisoner but in a large room called Gaza," Jnaid said.

Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinian Civil Affairs government office in Ramallah, which negotiates with Israel over the issue of ID cards and travel permits, said there was no sign Israel would soften their position on documents for Gazans.

Jnaid said he feels like a ghost.

"Not only a ghost, I do not exist. Everywhere I go people ask for an identification card and I do not have one."

The Photo Description**:
Despite the photo having the caption: Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

Read the extended description of the Photo:
Palestinian children walk inside the destroyed house of a member of a clan loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, after clashes with the Hamas force in Gaza October 18, 2007. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Yes you're seeing a Photo of the damaged caused when Hamas attacked a supporter of Fatah in Gaza!

Address of Photo:Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

If you feel Reuters' coverage is biased, write to:
editor.reuters@reuters.com
jerusalem.newsroom@reuters.com

References:
Reuters: Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

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Ali Babacan and the Forty Thugs: Is Turkey setting up its Jews to be the fall guy?

Ali Babacan,Turkish Foreign minister,
A formidable Politician in the making.

When I read the must read Bloomberg article Jews Become Targets of Turkey's Anger at U.S. Vote on Armenia ; I am amazed at the baldfaced aggression and insidious threats made to the Turkish Jewish population. For some one who is so keen to advocate that Turkey was not involved in an Armenian Genocide, Ali Babacan does himself no favors.

Not foregoing Ali Babacan's raw intellectual power, its sad to see such a promising Politician showing signs of playing the scapegoat. His new developing focus on a populist methodology, which he has managed to previously avoid in his rise to power, is now showing some rather disturbing signs.

Is he setting up Turkish Jews to be the scapegoat in the developing controversy over Armenian claims of genocide?

First allow me to preface this discussion with somethings this post does not discuss.

This isn't a post that advocates either for or against to the existence of the claimed Armenian Genocide. Nor is this a post that in anyway is dismissive of Turkey's right to advocate in peaceful ways for its own interests

Recently there has been intense discussion within the American congress about a motion to proclaim the treatment of Armenians during the war as genocide.

There has been tremendous pressure brought upon the Jewish community in Turkey and the American diaspora to close ranks with Turkey and denounce any actions that call forth the claim of a Turkish Genocide against the Armenian people.

I find myself quite despondent of the evidence that displays Israel's willingness and some elements of the American diaspora to follow the line that Turkey is promoting.

The simple fact is, the existence of a Armenian Genocide committed by the government of Turkey has very little to do with Jews in particular.

I would be the first to advocate that as Jews we should be exceptionally vigilant against any motions or actions which could hide genocide.

Yet the ultimate question of there being any basis to the claims of Armenians being victims to a Genocide committed by the Turks is rather a question for Turkey, Armenians and the World's historians and academics.

Its not a question that should be played out in the political arena, nor the political arena of other countries, and its certainly not a question that should hold another country's foreign policy to ransom.

But in stating this, there has been a obvious question that has come to the forefront of ones consciousness.

Why does Turkey act so swiftly and tellingly to cease any kind of debate that discusses this genocidal question?

What is there to fear? If there was no genocide then bringing an academic, objective based, scrutiny to the subject will lay the matter to rest qucikly and efficiently, if this is the case as Turkey so ably advocates it is so.

Why is Turkey who aspires to join the European Union, a union that is established on a premise of transparency and human rights, so wanting to stifle debate? Especially a debate which needs to initiate, so as lurking question of an Armenian genocide can be resolved.

If find it very disturbing the recent comments by Mr Ali Babacan in regards to the 'Jewish' Obligation to ensure that the American congress isn't able to pass the motion of a Armenian Genocide. They contain barely hidden references to repercussions towards the Turkish community if this piece of legislation is able to be passed in Congress.

The question arises, why is Turkey so willing to risk its allegiance to the US and Israel, in its attempt to stifle debate?

I can't ignore the historical basis of co operation between Turkey and the West, but this is the exact opposite kind of behavior one would expect of a country who claims there is no basis to the claims of genocide.

The use of Fear and intimidation against a minority within the Turkish population is hardly something that would reassure the rest of the world a Turkish genocide did not happen.

In fact putting it quite clearly, its the threat of violence and intimidation which raises more questions than answers.

I feel for the Turkish Jewish population.

I also feel Armenians, the Armenian's deserve the opportunity to raise these issues so the World and Turkey may face historical facts no matter how dark they may or may not be.

The ultimate truth is, as Jews we can't stand by and allow Ali Babacan and his AKP henchmen to threaten us, if he doesn't get what he wants. To do so would be a dishonor on the memory of all those that suffered in the Shoah.

When we say never again, we should mean never again for all peoples.

Political considerations and convenience should not influence our decisions on what is right or wrong.

References:
Bloomberg: Jews Become Targets of Turkey's Anger at U.S. Vote on Armenia

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The 17th Edition Of JPix is up!

Welcome to JPix 17!

Rabbi Shmuli Weiss shaking Lulav and Esrog with
one of the Jewish Students at at McGill University
- photo courtesy of Yossi from The Next Step

The Seventeenth edition of JPix is up at The Baleboosteh, its a awesome edition of JPix and a great example of the talented photographers we have within the JBlogosphere!

So don't be shy here it is:
JPix 17

Submit your blog article to the next edition of
j pix - jewish photo carnival using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page.

Mr Bagel Get those entries into the next JPix 18..!
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Israel quickly progresses towards Rocket Shield because of looming Peace?

Israel, U.S. discuss missile defense

Israel and the United States agreed to boost cooperation on missile-defense projects.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hosted his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, at the Pentagon on Tuesday for talks on a range of bilateral issues, including joint plans for an integrated system to fend off the various missile threats to the Jewish state.

The sides agreed to step up work on David's Sling, a system designed to shoot down rockets of the kind used by Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Israel separately is developing another system, Iron Dome, for dealing with shorter-range Palestinian rockets.

Israel and the United States also plan to upgrade Arrow, Israel's ballistic interception system, so it might be more effective intercepting Iranian long-range Shehab missiles or Syrian Scuds.

Barak has said Israel should ensure it has a full missile defense apparatus in place before making any major territorial concessions to the Palestinians in the West Bank.

Mr Bagel: Its not hard to imagine the serious security implications that would result in Israel if the West bank's Palestinians were to start to fire rockets at Israel from any newly won territorial concessions from the Israeli Government. Exactly the same thing happened in Gaza when Israel withdrew from Gaza.

The question that seems to be most obvious is, if the US and Israel are so interested in developing a sophisticated rocket defence system, including an Israeli defense plan to handle short range rockets which will be able to handle qassams and other such projectiles, doesn't this in effect clearly point out that the administration clearly expects that the new Palestinian state will be the site of rocket launchings.

If this is the case where we have clearly seen before an unwillingness to clamp down on Palestinian Terrorists firing rockets at Israel by Palestinian Authorities, then in effect must we not consider the peace process and the establishment of the Palestinian state simply as a enabler of more terrorist strikes and a continuation of the farce that is Palestinian terrorism?

Remind me again what Israel is getting out of this Peace Process?

References:
JTA: Israel, U.S. discuss missile defense

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JPix 17 coming soon

JPix 17 is going to be hosted in a few days at The Baleboosteh

To submit your Photo Post Click here: SUBMIT

The Baleboosteh always puts together a great JPix, make sure you submit your photos to JPix 17. If you haven't already submitted any photo posts to Jpix then you really do need to quickly submit them Submissions for JPix 17.

Busy, of Course! 2007

Courtesy of Me-ander

Its going to be the seventeenth edition of JPix hosted by The Baleboosteh , its sure to be a great edition so make sure you get your photos in. Don't rely on the Jpix hoster finding them. If you don't submit your photos and you miss out, well you know who to blame.

Last Submissions by ASAP,
The Jpix 17 Photo carnival opens on the Weds 17th October.

If you have any questions you can email at
JpixcarnivalATgmailDOTcom

Here's a little badge to put on your side menu. Point it to go to:http://blogcarnival.com/bc/latest_987.html

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