Monday, March 24, 2008

REUTERS PROMOTES ANTI-ISRAEL BLOG

Reuters Promotes Anti-Israel Blog (Honest Reporting)

Why does Reuters give credibility to a one-sided and hateful blog story?

The Blogosphere contains a wealth of opinions and claims, some of which contribute to a rational debate and others which may be the personal rantings of a deranged individual. While freedom of speech requires a degree of responsibility that is sometimes lacking in blogs, reputable news services are compelled to comply with much higher standards.

So why, then, is Reuters publishing a blog posting entitled "Israeli Troops Given the Go-Ahead to Kill Peaceful Palestinian Protesters"? The posting reveals its true nature in the first line:

The Zionist regime has given orders to allow Israeli troops to fire live rounds on Palestinians protesting the illegal Apartheid Wall surrounding Jerusalem.

Continuing in a hateful and one-sided vein, failing to mention Palestinian terror or legitimate Israeli security concerns:

The Apartheid Wall, meant to strangle local West Bank economies and annex Palestinian land, started to encapsulate occupied Jerusalem in 2002.

Merely the term "Zionist regime", popularized by terrorist groups and individuals such as Iran's President Ahmadinejad, should have been enough to raise alarm bells at Reuters as to the unsuitability of such a posting. Not to mention the contents of the piece itself, which maliciously accuses Israel of actively seeking to kill Palestinian protestors.

Reuters includes the disclaimer: "The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by Reuters.com." While Reuters may not endorse the sentiments of the blog posting, it still decided to publish them on its own site, therefore giving it unwarranted credibility as a news source.

Reuters asks you to Let us know what you think of this feature. Please do so by selecting the Blogs option in the Topics menu and ask Reuters to exercise responsibility in its choice of blogs.

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