When it comes to Middle East reporting, more often than not, it appears that AP (the Associated Press) is nothing more than a mirror image of the PA (Palestinian Authority). This is reflected in both the writings and photographs being disseminated by the "reputable" news service.



One simple sentence found in an AP story that was carried by Foxnews.com on February 12th contained five gross inaccuracies. The sentence reads as follows:



"In more than three years of fighting, 455 people have died in homicide bombings carried out by Hamas and other militant factions."



Using the term "fighting" as opposed to "terrorist activity" levels the playing field and neutralizes the sinister nature of what has clearly been, and continues to be, a campaign of terror launched against the Jewish citizens of the State of Israel. Is AP implying that Israeli civilians are active participants/fighters in a battle that marks them as fair game for homicide bombings? Are terrorist tactics aimed at civilians an accepted and legitimate military strategy ? If that's the case, then I guess this is just a bloody but equitable contest between compliant Jewish bus passengers and determined Arab combatants. No terror, no victims, no guilt.



The staff at AP have serenely embraced and, at times, seem to subliminally encourage, the violence of the region - at least when it's directed towards the Jews. Nobody ever gets killed here in Israel. People simply "die". The impact of 500 pounds of explosives and shrapnel ripping through human flesh never kills. Life just gently passes away from dismembered and burnt bodies. I guess if people were "killed", then there would have to be killers. Well, far be it for AP to paint the Palestinian Arabs as guilty of murderous outrages against innocent Israelis.



By the way, the "people" who have simply "died" in that ambiguous sentence happen to be Israelis, but AP is loathe to tell you that. People are people, right? No good guys, no bad guys, no victims, no aggressors - just "people". Ain't life beautiful?



Not so fast. AP is being neither PC, nor liberally humanistic, as the same article mentions some form of the word "kill" six times ? in reference to what Israelis have done to Palestinians.



455 "people" have not "died" in more than three years of "fighting". But close to 1,000 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian Arab terrorists since the escalation of violence that began in September 2000. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs puts the figure at 934. If AP has any doubt, they can go to http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0ia50 and count the names, review the ages and read the particulars.



Perhaps AP employs an accountant from the PA who specializes in damage control. I suppose, in theory, one could slash in half the number of Israelis killed and arrive at a figure of 455 by deducting those who were murdered in standard non-suicidal bombings or shootings, stabbings, grenade attacks, etc. But why would AP find it necessary to compartmentalize the methods of violence or, for that matter, itemize the various Palestinian terrorist factions? It adds nothing to the article other than minimizing and whitewashing the truth. More and more Palestinian terrorist groups are launching joint atrocities, so the meticulous divisions of labor don't really matter. They never did.



Is AP in the business of reporting the news or do its interests lie in confounding the public and obscuring the facts? One has to wonder.



The last word of the sentence is "miltary factions". I perused the article and desperately looked for a term that closely resembled "terrorists". I came up empty- handed. But I did manage to find the following highly creative list: "militant", "groups", "cells", "militant groups", "militant factions", "military wing", and my personal favorite (sic) is "masked men in military-style uniforms".



It is time AP took a good look in the mirror. They may be surprised to see a keffiyah-draped ugly face - with a stubbly beard and trembling lips - staring back and smiling at them.



"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest one of all?"



You can be sure it's neither the AP nor the PA.