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by Rachel O'Donoghue
Illustrative: A Palestinian throws a chair at burning tires during clashes with Israeli forces following a raid, in Jenin in the West Bank April 9, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman/File Photo
Summarizing the turmoil that has once again roiled the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the last couple of days, a Forbes.com headline screeched: “Six Palestinians Killed In Three Separate Incidents By Israeli Forces Over 24 Hours.”
It is undoubtedly a compelling headline. Before even clicking on the piece, readers are given four distinct pieces of information that paint a profoundly disturbing picture: Israeli soldiers are responsible for the deaths of six Palestinians during incidents that were independent of one another and occurred in an incredibly short time frame.
Now, imagine how different that picture would look if readers were told the following salient facts:
- Three of the four men killed during the counter-terrorism raid in the terror stronghold Jenin were confirmed to be terrorists and claimed by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
- Israeli forces came under a brutal assault when they attempted to carry out the arrests, with Islamic Jihad confirming that its members opened fire and detonated explosive devices.
- Another Palestinian man killed during a counter-terrorism raid in Jericho on Wednesday morning was hurling explosives at soldiers when he was shot.
- The sixth man died during violent riots that were instigated by Hamas on the Israel-Gaza border, and it is thought that he may have died from shrapnel wounds after a device he was attempting to ignite exploded.
Unfortunately, the rest of the article by Forbes.com staff writer William Skipworth reads little better.
Not only are Hamas and Islamic Jihad not mentioned once in the entirety of the piece — despite both groups confirming their involvement in the unrest — but the circumstances in which the men died are presented as in doubt.
Even though Islamic Jihad stated that it had commanded fighters to attack Israeli forces, the fact that gunmen opened fire is still expressed as something that is merely “claimed” by Israel:
The Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement that troops entered the camp as part of “counterterrorism activity” and claimed that ‘armed gunmen opened fire’ at them before they returned fire.”
In addition, the riots that have raged on the Gaza border are ludicrously described as merely “regular protests along the border for the past week” that have been attended by “protesters.” Apparently, Skipworth thought there was nothing oxymoronic about reporting the next sentence that these “protests” had involved “throwing explosive devices and burning tires, as well as occasionally firing guns at Israeli guards.”
The piece ends with some bullet points about the “key background” from which these incidents stemmed, including how the Gaza Strip is supposedly under “military occupation.” Of course, this will come as news to Israel, which unilaterally disengaged from the territory in 2005, dismantling all its settlements and military installations.
Another bit of background given for added context is the July raid in Jenin, which Skipworth claims “killed five and injured 91” and saw the use of a helicopter gunship — the first time one had been used “since the second Palestinian uprising around two decades ago.”
First, calling the guerilla campaign of suicide attacks, stabbings, and bombings on Israeli civilians a “Palestinian uprising” is deeply troubling.
Second, Skipworth should perhaps go back and double-check his facts about the July Jenin raid, because it was 12 people who died, and every single one of them was claimed by a terrorist organization.
Facts are facts. What a shame that Forbes plays it so fast and loose with them.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
