Dialogue with Washington Post Jerusalem Bureau Chief




In Bonded in Resistance to the Barrier [June 8, 2007], The Washington Post brings to the forefront very real concerns of Arab and Jewish neighbors who have lived in peaceful co-existence and now will be severely inconvenienced by the construction of a security barrier between the two communities. But actions have consequences – the barrier is Israel’s defensive, non-violent approach to keeping Palestinian suicide bombers out. Palestinian bombings are now down over 90%. The barrier is being put up where the bombers are coming from – the West Bank. Holes in the barrier will only be exploited as has already been seen and must be closed for the system to remain effective.

In the article, The Washington Post chose to quote an individual who claims that “Israel’s policy here is like those of Nazi Germany under Hitler.” The comparison is so outlandish its unqualified use is surprising and unacceptable. Comparing Israel’s defensive non-violent action to Nazi genocide amounts to psychological warfare; there’s no need for The Post to serve as a megaphone. In reality – which journalism is to portray – the Arabs have tried to destroy Israel and her people in three major wars and continue to promote mass murder of the Jews in mosques, schools, newspapers, and on television and radio.

Further, The Washington Post states that “the Israeli government says the barrier is designed to prevent” Palestinian attacks [emphasis added]. The Post uses the technique of using someone else to say that Israel’s policy “is” like the Nazi’s, but then states that Israel “says” the barrier is to protect its civilians – the slant, whether intended or not, speaks for itself.

The Post says that Palestinians believe that “Israelis have designs on their land.” There is no quote around “their.” Is The Washington Post the final arbiter of whose land it is? The West Bank, previously occupied by the Jordanians, was won, not by the Palestinians, but by Israel – in a war brought upon Israel by Jordan. If The Post wanted to appear neutral, it would have said that Palestinians believe that Israelis have designs on land which they consider to be theirs. Final status is yet to be determined and will be based upon negotiations according to UN Security Council resolutions – not Washington Post reporters.

The Post is perpetuating an ahistorical narrative –equivalent to the Palestinian view – when objectivity should be what it aims for.

Letter to The Washington Post

From: Dr. Michael Berenhaus [mailto:mberenhaus@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 10:31 PM
To: 'letters@washpost.com'Cc: 'fisherm@washpost.com'
Subject: letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

In A Selective Memory Of Simon Wiesenthal [June 8, 2007], Marc Fisher states that a documentary about famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal is “anything but evenhanded.” He wants evenhanded? Between what and what? The notion that one should be evenhanded about the work of Simon Wiesenthal and the Nazi war criminals that he chased hits an all-time low of political correctness.

Michael Berenhaus

Letter to local radio stations



In the coming weeks, Palestinian sympathizers will be approaching area radio stations to promote a rally to end what they call, "Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Lands." What the rally organizers won't tell you is that to them, "Palestinian lands" means not just the West Bank and Gaza, but Israel itself, as witness the maps used in West Bank and Gaza classrooms where the state of Israel is marked as "Occupied Palestine."

The organizers say that the rally is to protest, in their words, "the 40th anniversary of Israel's illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip."

Israel, however, won the West Bank and East Jerusalem, not from the Palestinians - but from Jordan. Israel won Gaza, not from the Palestinians - but from Egypt. This new lie, which these organizers are trying to propagate, must be shown for what it is - baseless propaganda. Two years ago, in front of the international media, Israel extended its hand in peace to the Palestinians, giving them Gaza, deporting its own people and removing its soldiers. With this gesture, Israel became the only country ever to grant the Palestinians any territory - not the Egyptians, not the Jordanians, not the Lebanese, and not the Syrians. From that time to this day, Palestinians have responded by firing rockets into Israel, terrorizing Israeli citizens - their way of saying thank you. Israel has had no choice but to defend its citizens by going after the perpetrators who hide among civilians, while the Palestinians claim that they are the ones being victimized. Similarly, Israel builds a security barrier to defend its citizens from the terror of Palestinian suicide bombers, and Palestinians claim that they are the ones again being victimized. The barrier has worked, by the way. Suicide bombings are down 90%. If the Palestinians have something to protest, it is their own reckless leadership. They could have had their own state many times - as early as 1948. But they chose war - and lost. They can still choose peace - that option still exists. Israel wants nothing more than a negotiated settlement - to live in peace with her neighbors. It takes two, however, to form an agreement - and the Palestinian leadership hasn't had the wherewithal to make it happen.

This is what the protest should be about.

Michael Berenhaus