Are Media Networks Aiding and Abetting Terrorism?
By Yaron Brook (Irvine Review, Univ. of California, February 2, 2003)

Danny Seaman, Israel's Government Press Office Director, accused Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, BBC, ABC and CBS of working with directors and producers appointed by the Palestinian Authority who spin--and even fabricate--reports in favor of Palestinians and against Israel.

"Three senior producers" working for foreign networks, Seaman claimed, "were coordinated with [master terrorist] Marwan Barghouti. He used to call them and inform them about what was about to happen. They always received early warning about gunfire on Gilo. Then they shot for TV only the Israeli response fire on Beit Jala. Those producers advised Barghouti how to get the Palestinian message across better."

This alleged conspiracy between journalists and terrorists to promote the Palestinian cause should be thoroughly investigated. If these charges are true, what we have here is not only an egregious example of non-objective journalism, but a far more condemnable behavior on the part of mainstream networks: an active role in aiding and abetting terrorism.

Seaman's charges should come as no surprise if we recall what BBC's correspondent in Gaza reportedly said at a Hamas rally: "Journalists and media organizations [are] waging the campaign shoulder-to-shoulder together with the Palestinian people."

It is bad enough to have the media biased against Israel--the innocent victim of terrorism--but it is even worse to have the media, on which we depend for the news, actively collaborating with terrorists.

If we find out that this is indeed the case, we must make sure that all those in the media who are involved with the terrorists be fired, at a minimum. This won't solve the problem of media bias against Israel, but at least it will increase the possibility of an objective reporting on the Middle East situation.