Is the headline in Haaretz
The Israel Defense Forces has canceled a number of planned arrest operations in the West Bank fearing soldiers will be seen by American diplomats touring the territories.
What?
IDF officers serving with their units in the West Bank said they were instructed by brigade commanders in recent weeks to call off the planned arrests of wanted men inside Palestinian towns, because of these diplomats' presence.
The diplomats, mostly employees of the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem, have been traveling regularly to the West Bank to gather testimony on settlement construction, to oversee American-funded projects and to meet with Palestinian
I gather the Israeli Military conducts raids in the West Bank (not the police?)
However, IDF troops still occasionally carry out arrests of wanted Palestinians, mainly of people suspected of belonging to terrorist organizations or of having carried out low-level terror attacks.
The Israeli Military arrests folks for "belonging to a terrorist organization"? In the West Bnak, where have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to train and equip the Palestinian Police?
What?
IDF cuts down West Bank raids for fear U.S. diplomats will see
If the American diplomats knew this was happening, what would be the result? Either the arrets are legal and necessary, or not. Which is it?
And if they think US diplomats aren't watching, will they resume?
Israel has press censorship
JERUSALEM Here's some news you may never hear about Israel's war against Hezbollah: a missile falls into the sea, a strategic military installation is hit, a Cabinet minister plans to visit the front lines.
All these topics are subject to review by Israel's chief military censor, who has -- in her own words -- "extraordinary power." She can silence a broadcaster, block information and put journalists in jail.
"I can, for example, publish an order that no material can be published. I can close a newspaper or shut down a station. I can do almost anything," Col. Sima Vaknin said Wednesday.
Israel believes that as a small country in a near constant state of conflict, having a say over what information gets out to the world is vital to its security. Critics say the policy is a slippery slope not fit for a democracy.
Editor and Publisher
What else don't we know? All we get are smuggled reports form Peace groups, Palestinian organizations,
are we getting a true picture of conditions in Israel and Palestine?