Summary: This was one of three "news" stories HuffPost published today and yesterday concerning Israel (see here, here). On each of them, it obligingly reviewed, approved and decided to publish the usual assortment of libels against Israel and its military, along with good old-fashioned anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and hatred as well.
On July 14, 2009 the splash headline in HuffPost's "World" section (and promoted throughout the site) was as shown below:
(Note that the picture on the right, which HuffPost chose to match with this screaming headline, is sourced through "AFP" --- Agency Press France --- which is notorious for using Palestinian stringers, and a willingness to act as an uncritical dupe for Islamist fauxtography, and libels against Israel; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; also see "PallyWood" - an introduction.)
The story link is here.
To read this screaming headline --- which many HuffPost users obviously do not go beyond, before posting comments --- one might/would logically assume that Britain has revoked all (or most of) the licenses under which companies operating within its territory sold military equipment to Israel.
The facts, however, as described in the article, tell just a bit of a different story:
An Israeli official said Britain canceled five licenses that applied to Saar-class missile boat parts after reviewing 182 licenses in all.
Five licenses out of 182. That's 2.7% of all such licenses.
Now scroll up and look at that screaming headline again. While not entirely untrue, would it not have been more appropriate for "The Internet Newspaper," which repeatedly claims it is a nonpartisan source of news, merely in pursuit of "the truth" (Section A, here; more here), to match this story with a headline that reflected the reality --- such as "Britain cancels 3% of military licenses with Israel"?
Why would HuffPost deliberately put up such a distorted headline? Only its management can answer that question. Perhaps one day someone in a position of influence will ask it to do so.
So what kind of user comments did HuffPost review, approve and decide to publish on this thread? The following are 23 of the 75 total comments that appeared in the PDFs captured at 1:12am on July 14 (listed chronologically; PDFs available upon request).
As you read these comments, ask yourself: Were they posted by HuffPost's resident constituency of radical leftists --- or the estimated 135,000 of HuffPost's monthly visitors who live in Iran and Pakistan, two of the nations most responsible for fermenting and exporting anti-Israeli Islamist terror (see Section 4.3 here)? One might find it hard to tell.
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fizzette I'm a Fan of fizzette permalink
Hooray for the Brits!!! Now, if the rest of the civilized world would just grow some.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:28 PM on 07/13/2009
lbsaltzman I'm a Fan of lbsaltzman permalink
A small but necessary step towards the Western world getting the courage to stand up to Israeli thuggery against its' neighbors. This step is welcome but inadequate.
The U.S., Britain and every other nation in Europe that supplies weapons to Israel should initiate a complete embargo on all weapons and weapons parts to Israel.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:29 PM on 07/13/2009
faith I'm a Fan of faith permalink
No weapons, no funding for Israel ! U.S. policy should provide only necessities: food, medicines to Israel. No money. No money. No money.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:54 PM on 07/13/2009
loki I'm a Fan of loki permalink
finally a realistic approach to this problem.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:03 PM on 07/13/2009
NoSillyName I'm a Fan of NoSillyName permalink
The U.S. should follow suit!
Way to go, Britain!!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:16 PM on 07/13/2009
Altruth I'm a Fan of Altruth permalink
Good! Now when are we going to do the same?
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:38 PM on 07/13/2009
GreatNews27 I'm a Fan of GreatNews27 permalink
Bad move. Now Israel will have to use nukes to murder Palistinians.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:25 PM on 07/13/2009
sas I'm a Fan of sas permalink
Thank you Britain !
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:28 PM on 07/13/2009
OkieIntellectual I'm a Fan of OkieIntellectual permalink
It has long been my theory that the continued US support of Israel, even in the face of that country's clearly genocidal attitude toward the Palestinians, is borne largely from guilt. [...]
That is sad, but it is no reason to continue supporting a government and nation who, if they thought they could get away with it, would do to the Palestinians exactly what was done to them in WWII.
They will not be satisfied until every single arab is either expunged from their ever-expanding borders or outright killed. [...]
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:41 PM on 07/13/2009
mergina I'm a Fan of mergina permalink
They must be made to KNOW that the world does not condone their use of superior military force over defenseless and innocent civilians [...]
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:58 PM on 07/13/2009
Alice215 I'm a Fan of Alice215 permalink
The US should have done this or at least threatened with this. I guess our military supply corporations wouldn't let us.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:01 PM on 07/13/2009
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Ed.: Amidst the above hate- and libel-fest, along came one user, "JerryLevy," who posted a compelling video by a British military officer explaining the IDF's actions in context... and predictably, as noted in CAMERA's report on HuffPost, another user was permitted to accuse him of being a member of a propaganda effort on behalf of Israel:JerryLevy I'm a Fan of JerryLevy permalink
Here is the British General explaining what Israel did in Gaza and how they handled themselves.
Great two min. video:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443743206&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:37 PM on 07/13/2009
Freenation I'm a Fan of Freenation permalink
what else is new at megaphone today?
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:19 PM on 07/13/2009
Ed.: We now return you to the predictable anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate- and libel-fest, as incited and approved by HuffPost...
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mamacat I'm a Fan of mamacat permalink
Good. There is no excuse for the conscious targeting of women and children under the circumstances that existed at the time.
This may be more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but maybe it will help Israelis to wake up to the idea that they can no longer do whatever they want to with the indigenous people of the area.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:06 PM on 07/13/2009
[Ed.: The Jews are actually far more indigenous to the area than the Palestinians --- but let's not let facts obscure the hatred, libels and propaganda.]
RBShea I'm a Fan of RBShea permalink
Now they do it? And in ways which are inconsequential?
Oh, well...at least there's the "symbolism" factor.
Whatever that's good for.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:10 PM on 07/13/2009
ManyColored I'm a Fan of ManyColored permalink
If President Obama tried that, he would be impeached by the Israeli PAC delegates in congress.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:14 PM on 07/13/2009
AJL1970 I'm a Fan of AJL1970 permalink
I'm proud that the Brits have done the right thing. [...]
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:45 PM on 07/13/2009
Ides I'm a Fan of Ides permalink
At least we have the United States defending the free market. More clusterbombs!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:48 PM on 07/13/2009
EdwardMRoche I'm a Fan of EdwardMRoche permalink
The Gaza incursion was a horrible disaster. It showed the strength of asymmetrical warfare, as Israel was goaded into launching an invasion that resulted by more than 75% in deaths of women and children, not Hamas fighters. Hospitals with patients and UN facilities were bombed, even after notification to the IDF. The use of phosphor bombs came close to chemical warfare... [....]
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:51 PM on 07/13/2009
northstar11 I'm a Fan of northstar11 permalink
"""Britain has characterized Israeli actions during the bruising war as "disproportionate.""""
how very british.-----how do you address a twenty day all out bombing campaign on women and children trapped with no escape. disproportionate -yes that will do we dont want to offend the israelis do we.tut. tut
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:52 PM on 07/13/2009
Freenation I'm a Fan of Freenation permalink
at least someone is doing something right?
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:25 PM on 07/13/2009
Lefty83 I'm a Fan of Lefty83 permalink
Thank you, UK for standing up against the Israeli government and their genocidal tactics.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:26 PM on 07/13/2009
RJII I'm a Fan of RJII permalink
Britain has taken the lead. US follow.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:50 PM on 07/13/2009
sammyscout I'm a Fan of sammyscout permalink
Thank You Gordon Brown, Tony Blair was a brown nose
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BOYCOTT ALL THINGS ISRAELI
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Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:56 PM on 07/13/2009
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On April 29, 2009 CAMERA posted an article entitled, Has the Huffington Post Become a Magnet for Israel Haters?
At this point, the answer should be pretty clear. But as is documented throughout Huff-Watch, it is more pernicious than that, given how HuffPost actively "frames" stories such as this, then knowingly allows this kind of insane, propaganda-based libel and hatred to engulf them.
Note: For background data on determining whether or HuffPost's approach to this entire matter constitutes anti-Semitism, and the truth behind the libels it approved its users to post, please see:
Answering The Libels
Anti-Semitism 101 (and the Zionist canard)
See more at:
Archive of anti-Israel, ant-Semitic bias, libels and hate at HuffPost
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