Why is it that CNN, the "most reliable name in news" picks and chooses what to report and what not to report in regards to the current conflict brewing in Israel. If you check cnn.com's world section, scroll down to middle east, the most recent story that pertains to the conflict has the headline "Israeli jets hit targets in Gaza" That story was updated last at 7:52 a.m. EST, Sat February 7, 2009. The story is 36 hours old and paints the actions of the Israeli military in a certain light. Yahoo news has a story from the AP wire, which was updated on Sunday the 8th at 4:06 p.m. EST, detaling the launch of two Qassum rockets from gaza into southern Israel.
The CNN story was very brief.
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli warplanes attacked four tunnels and a weapons storage facility in Gaza late Friday evening, an Israeli Defense Forces spokesman said. The planes attacked near Rafah crossing at Gaza's border with Egypt. The IDF said it was responding to the firing of two missiles into Israel earlier Friday, the spokesman said. There were no reports that the missiles inflicted any injuries or damage, the spokesman said.
What I do not understand is why the CNN staff did not deem the attack on Israel news worthy but an Israeli retaliatory strike was worth writing about. The AP story began by outlining the actions that had occured.
JERUSALEM – Two rockets fired by Palestinian militants struck southern Israel on Sunday, Israel's military said, violating an informal truce even as Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers appeared to hurry closer to a long-term cease-fire deal two days before Israeli elections.
Is there a rational reason that I am not aware of that makes the AP's report not worthy of CNN's prestige? Or is this just a lack of desire to present a balanced story. Or maybe CNN really does not think that Hamas rockets that continue to fall on Israeli territory is news worthy? In addition, I have not read one CNN article that goes into some of the details the AP story discusses.
In Gaza, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights demanded an investigation into the death of a man who appeared to have been tortured by Hamas. The man, 51-year-old Jamil Shakoura, was not believed to be affiliated with any opposition group.
Rights groups frequently charge that Gaza's Hamas rulers use detentions and beatings to intimidate opponents. A Hamas official said the matter is under investigation.
If CNN has discussed such acts, please let me know. In addition, the measures the Israeli military takes to warn civilians and bystanders of incoming attacks is never mentioned. No military in the world goes to the extent that the Israelis do during urban warfare. In a recent NY Times article, the Times describes how
Israel warned residents, in leaflets, radio broadcasts and telephone calls to leave, but many thought that the Israeli incursion did not threaten them.
CNN inability, or unwillingness, to fairly cover this conflict seriously demeans its claim to be the "most reliable name in news."