The Coronavirus 65 Weeks Later - Anti-Semitism in the Media

In the May 28, 2021 edition of the New York Times, on the first page above the fold, were pictures of the faces of 64 children.  The caption above it read:  "They Were Just Children."  Underneath it said:  "At least 69 people under 18 were killed in the Israeli-Hamas war this month.  Nearly all were Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.  They had wanted to be doctors, artists and leaders.  Read their stories, Pages A10-11."  Those inside pages had larger pictures, with their names and ages, along with a short bio.  Underneath the pictures was an article, "Buried With Their Dreams and Nightmares."  

Now, some of you may be wondering how the NY Times was able to get all this information from inside the tightly Hamas controlled Gaza Strip.  If you are like I am, then you understand that the Times is a willing propagandist for Hamas.  Hamas would not have given them access otherwise.  As I said in a recent post, for Hamas the more dead the better, because they know the leftists in the Western world will always assist them in blaming Israel.  So, let's take a look at some of the "highlights" in the accompanying article.  

After noting that the Israeli military says it takes precautions to protect civilians, they tell us this:  "Many people in Gaza, however, say that the number of civilians killed proves that whatever precautions Israel may be taking are tragically insufficient."  Then the Times makes its own assertion:  "The low toll on the Israeli side also reflected an imbalance in defensive capabilities."

Let's examine these comments.  First, we have to trust that Hamas was not lying about the number of children who were killed in the war.  Would a terrorist organization, that uses Western media to promote their propaganda, not lie?  Second (yes, the deaths of all children and innocents is tragic), we know that the Times would make the same assertions about Israel not taking sufficient precautions if the death toll was 100.  Or 50.  Or 10.  

Third, note the Times concern about the low death toll on the Israeli side.  For the Times it is always the same - a numbers game, with not enough Jews dying.  With over 4300 rockets having been fired by Hamas at Israeli cities (targeting civilians), the primary reason for the low death toll is Israel's missile defense system, Iron Dome.  The secondary reason is that there are numerous bomb shelters throughout Israel - out of necessity given the repeated wars Israel has had to fight.  Of course, the Times would not discuss the thousands (millions?) of Israelis who had to flee to, and temporarily live in, the bomb shelters for safety.  Question:  given that Hamas is able to get tons and tons of concrete which they use to build tunnels into Israel to aid in killing Jews, why don't they use that concrete to build bomb shelters for their own people?  It is not a question that the Times would ask.

Here is another question:  without the Iron Dome, what would Israel have had to do to halt the non-stop rocket attacks?  They likely would have needed a ground invasion of Gaza; and that type of war would probably have resulted in far more deaths on both sides.  It turns out, therefore, that the Iron Dome actually saved lives on both sides.    

Fourth, the Times does not bother to tell us that Israel would not have needed to have their warplanes bomb any part of Gaza had Hamas not started to lob thousands of rockets at Israel.  Again, all aimed at Israeli cities.  But the targeting of Israeli civilians isnot a concern for the Times.  And the Times would not blame Hamas for starting the war.  Nor would they bring up the numerous times the Palestinians have rejected having their own state.  The state that they want is on the land of Israel.    

And the Times says this:  "Israel's critics cite the death toll as evidence that Israel's strikes were indiscriminate and disproportionate."  Let's examine that.  First, the technique of citing "critics" is one often used by the media, even Fox.  It is a way of saying:  "This is what we think, but we'll hide behind "critics" saying so."  It's nonsense.  Second, the death toll proves neither indiscriminate attacks nor the use of disproportionate force.  There is an underlying assumption that Israel should have done nothing.  They should have absorbed the attacks.  What other country on earth would not respond militarily to incessant rocket attacks?  What other country on earth takes extreme precautions to protect the enemy's civilians?  Only Israel does that.  Where appropriate, they drop leaflets warning of an attack.  They make phone calls.  And they drop "dud" bombs onto the roofs of buildings as a warning for people to evacuate. 

So, why do I say this is anti-Semitic as opposed to just criticizing Israeli policy?  Simple.  When Israel, the sole Jewish country in the world, is held to a standard that no other country is held to, there can be only one explanation:  Anti-Semitism.