Moreover, covering any conflict where both sides are always trying to spin reporters and use them to make political points is inherently problematic. But a devotion to fairness doesn t always stop reporters from picking a side in a dispute or adopting one group s frame of reference in their coverage. Journalists love underdogs, and ever since Israel s victory in the 1967 war, many have seen the Arabs in that manner. Her obligation to report violations of human rights meant her stories were bound to place Israel in a bad light. This ignores the fact that the genuine sufferings of ordinary Palestinians have been caused by their leadership s decision to opt for continued violence instead of accepting generous peace terms from Israel.
Victims always exist on both sides.
But if you are a reporter with an agenda, inconvenient facts which provide a context that works against the thrust of your story are often ignored. It is easier to do a sob story about an Arab victim than to put it in the context of a century-long struggle to extinguish the Zionist enterprise. Nor do stories about the Palestinian Authority fomenting hatred and terror against Israel get adequate coverage. It is true that those of us who support Israel aren t objective about it, and some of Israel s supporters will never be satisfied with any reporting that highlights its shortcomings. But whether or not you are a devoted Zionist, the hatred and violence to which Israel has been subjected is the bottom line of the story.