Monday, February 15, 2010

Would you buy a used car from these people?

After six months and nearly 200 posts critiquing Reuters coverage of the Middle East conflict, it's clear to us and many of our readers that the media mammoth takes a distinctly anti-Israel line in its reporting in violation of the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, the Reuters Handbook of Journalism, and professional standards and practices for an independent news agency.  One of Reuters most common and egregious techniques to portray Israel in a negative light is the use of biased and questionable information sources for its stories.

In a story appearing today on PA President Mahmoud Abbas' delay in agreeing to resume negotiations with Israel while he waits "for the United States to explain how it might help restart peace talks", Reuters suggests that Israel is in violation of its commitment made in November to freeze new settlement building:
The Israeli lobby group Peace Now, which campaigns against the expansion of settlements and for a two-state solution to the conflict, said on Monday it had evidence building has continued -- sometimes under cover of darkness -- since Netanyahu's declared freeze in 34 settlements, a quarter of the total.
We've not seen Peace Now's "evidence"; however, Reuters may wish to consider whether relying on the representations of a group that routinely errs, lies, and has been convicted of libel due to its false claims does much to enhance Reuters reputation.

No comments:

Post a Comment