Deliberate Manipulation or the Oversight of Carelessness?
We heard disturbing news first thing yesterday morning through a broadcast by Mother Corp. informing its many trusting listeners that Israeli settlers were interfering with Palestinian farmers' harvesting of crops, and we were, like most listeners, outraged. How dare they? Why visit ill will upon farmers intent on bringing in their harvest?
And being curious, and wanting more clarity, an explanation, some background, some expiation, perhaps, I went on line and looked for the story at Arutz 7, and there it was, thank you very much. Another version entirely, far more detailed and with a background that explained much.
Leaving me to wonder why would the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation air a severely truncated version of an otherwise-unremarkable story of a purported altercation and misunderstanding between neighbours? Surely not to keep the fires burning? Controversial topics do garner interest, and all media sources are keen to increase their audiences, although not all such sources deliver their news with an obvious bias meant to manipulate public opinion. I'd like to think the CBC is not one of those, but past experience leads me to conclude otherwise.
I learned that explicating details describing the situation leading up to the confrontation lends an aura of aha! that the swift tidbit the CBC unleashed missed entirely. Whether by design or by virtue of sloppy news-gathering is left to one's imagination.
It would appear that the IDF, local Jewish residents and Palestinian farmers adjacent to Jewish settlements have an agreement that co-ordination of intent to pursue certain activities is required to ensure no misunderstandings result. In the case of Palestinian farmers living close to Jewish settlements, the idea is that the settlement residents will know in advance when a contingent of Palestinians sets out to harvest crops, and not mistake them for potential attackers.
Indeed, a group of Israelis had been out with Palestinian farmers assisting in bringing in crops, and there had been two weeks of olive harvesting by the farmers in an entirely peaceful atmosphere, before this event occurred.
At the Gilad Farm settlement in Samaria, a large group of Arab villagers of Farata approached the community - and began lobbing rocks at local security officers who had converged to try to determine what was happening, not having been advised that a large presence was anticipated for harvesting activities. A scuffle ensued between the two camps, injuring three Arabs and two Jews.
The whole idea of co-ordination of intended activities is to avoid any such confrontations. To make certain that Arab harvesters not be confused with terrorists who indeed have launched past attacks in that very same community.
Last week a group of Arabs were charged with cutting down 150 pine trees in the community of Beit Haggai, near Hevron. Jewish farmers at Gush Etzion reported fires were being deliberately set, burning wheat crops and trees on their property.
Two weeks earlier, an Arab man was apprehended in the hilltop community of Mitzpeh Yitzhar as he was sighted attempting to set fire to a home there. He explained to the IDF that all was not as it appeared; he was really on his way to initiate some harvesting activities. The IDF reminded him to ensure the proper co-ordination was conducted beforehand.
Misunderstandings obviously can result in neighbours behaving in a less than neighbourly manner toward one another; sometimes bordering on criminal intent. Co-operation isn't too much to ask for in order to forestall such events.
Suffice it to say there is much suspicion, a background of bloodletting and anger and distaste, from neighbour to neighbour the sad order of the day. Settlers are antagonistic toward the farmers, and farmers return the compliment. Truly bad behaviour visited one upon the other is deplorable, but not a rare occurrence.
There's enough nastiness in the world and in the Middle East in particular, without ostensibly responsible news media spreading suspicion and hatred abroad.
And being curious, and wanting more clarity, an explanation, some background, some expiation, perhaps, I went on line and looked for the story at Arutz 7, and there it was, thank you very much. Another version entirely, far more detailed and with a background that explained much.
Leaving me to wonder why would the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation air a severely truncated version of an otherwise-unremarkable story of a purported altercation and misunderstanding between neighbours? Surely not to keep the fires burning? Controversial topics do garner interest, and all media sources are keen to increase their audiences, although not all such sources deliver their news with an obvious bias meant to manipulate public opinion. I'd like to think the CBC is not one of those, but past experience leads me to conclude otherwise.
I learned that explicating details describing the situation leading up to the confrontation lends an aura of aha! that the swift tidbit the CBC unleashed missed entirely. Whether by design or by virtue of sloppy news-gathering is left to one's imagination.
It would appear that the IDF, local Jewish residents and Palestinian farmers adjacent to Jewish settlements have an agreement that co-ordination of intent to pursue certain activities is required to ensure no misunderstandings result. In the case of Palestinian farmers living close to Jewish settlements, the idea is that the settlement residents will know in advance when a contingent of Palestinians sets out to harvest crops, and not mistake them for potential attackers.
Indeed, a group of Israelis had been out with Palestinian farmers assisting in bringing in crops, and there had been two weeks of olive harvesting by the farmers in an entirely peaceful atmosphere, before this event occurred.
At the Gilad Farm settlement in Samaria, a large group of Arab villagers of Farata approached the community - and began lobbing rocks at local security officers who had converged to try to determine what was happening, not having been advised that a large presence was anticipated for harvesting activities. A scuffle ensued between the two camps, injuring three Arabs and two Jews.
The whole idea of co-ordination of intended activities is to avoid any such confrontations. To make certain that Arab harvesters not be confused with terrorists who indeed have launched past attacks in that very same community.
Last week a group of Arabs were charged with cutting down 150 pine trees in the community of Beit Haggai, near Hevron. Jewish farmers at Gush Etzion reported fires were being deliberately set, burning wheat crops and trees on their property.
Two weeks earlier, an Arab man was apprehended in the hilltop community of Mitzpeh Yitzhar as he was sighted attempting to set fire to a home there. He explained to the IDF that all was not as it appeared; he was really on his way to initiate some harvesting activities. The IDF reminded him to ensure the proper co-ordination was conducted beforehand.
Misunderstandings obviously can result in neighbours behaving in a less than neighbourly manner toward one another; sometimes bordering on criminal intent. Co-operation isn't too much to ask for in order to forestall such events.
Suffice it to say there is much suspicion, a background of bloodletting and anger and distaste, from neighbour to neighbour the sad order of the day. Settlers are antagonistic toward the farmers, and farmers return the compliment. Truly bad behaviour visited one upon the other is deplorable, but not a rare occurrence.
There's enough nastiness in the world and in the Middle East in particular, without ostensibly responsible news media spreading suspicion and hatred abroad.
posted by Pieface | 12:26 PM
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