U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Michael Oren. Photo: wiki commons Israel Ambassador Oren Slams New York Times Article on Palestinian Rock-Throwers; Says it ‘Dehumanized’ Israeli Victims
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, responded sharply to a New York Times article published Tuesday, that favorably depicted Palestinian Arab youths who throw stones at Israelis.
“While Palestinian protagonists are described in detail, their Israeli victims are largely dehumanized ‘settlers’ — no name, age or gender,” Oren writes in a letter- to-the-editor published by the paper.
While noting that the article, written by NYT Jerusalem Bureau Chief Jodi Rudoren and published August 5th on the paper’s front-page, features a chart showing “the amount of time Palestinian stone-throwers have spent in jail,” Oren said that “The article could have added another chart: the names of Israelis who have been killed or permanently maimed by rock throwers and the time they have spent hospitalized. One of the names would be Adele Biton, a 2-year-old seriously wounded by a stone in March.”
“The article notes that Palestinian youths attack Israelis ‘because their brothers and fathers did.’ By breaking that pattern, Palestinian leaders can prepare their people for peace,” he concluded.
Commentators on both side of the political spectrum criticized Rudoren’s article following its publication. The anti-Israel 972 Magazine wrote of the story: “This pseudo-anthropological investigation into the character and customs of the natives goes on with hardly any reference to the political realities…,” while the conservative Washington Free Beacon highlighted critique from Rudoren’s pro-Israel critics including watchdog groups CAMERA and Honest Reporting which criticized her for the romanticizing her violent subjects.
“ ‘My Hobby Is Throwing Stones’ ” (front page, Aug. 5) describes a scene in which a Palestinian teenager “hurled a rock at a passing car with yellow Israeli plates.” The scene continues, “The settlers stopped their car, got out, and began shouting.” A chart shows the amount of time Palestinian stone-throwers have spent in jail.
While Palestinian protagonists are described in detail, their Israeli victims are largely dehumanized “settlers” — no name, age or gender. And for the record, all Israelis, irrespective of residence and ethnicity, Jews and Arabs, drive with yellow plates.
The article could have added another chart: the names of Israelis who have been killed or permanently maimed by rock throwers and the time they have spent hospitalized. One of the names would be Adele Biton, a 2-year-old seriously wounded by a stone in March.
The article notes that Palestinian youths attack Israelis “because their brothers and fathers did.” By breaking that pattern, Palestinian leaders can prepare their people for peace.
MICHAEL OREN
Ambassador of Israel
Washington, Aug. 6, 2013
