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Many people today are not familiar with the term "blood libel." Any "news" organization that professes to cover events in the Middle East, however, knows or has an obligation to know its definition: a libel that is so serious, and so inflammatory, that it can and often does lead to murder and carnage "in defense" of the supposed "victims." Learn more at: Anti-Semitism 101 (and the Zionist canard), Answering the Libels, and "PallyWood" - An introduction.
From HuffPost, which bills itself as "The Internet Newspaper," whose executives have repeatedly claimed it is a nonpartisan news source, only interested in pursuing "the truth... consequences be damned," and "covering news in a 21st-century way," with "new ideas about balance and fairness" (here), along comes...
On August 19, 2009, right above a story on its front page that discussed how Democrats in the House of Representatives were rallying behind "the public option," HuffPost placed a story entitled:
Swedish Article Suggests Israeli Troops Kill Palestinians, Harvest Organs
So is there any truth whatsoever behind this inflammatory headline? The facts show that the answer is no --- as the article itself reveals.
Did HuffPost even do basic fact-checking to ensure that there is even an iota of credible proof behind this explosive allegation --- before deciding to publish it in so prominent a position on its front page? The answer to this question can only be provided by HuffPost. Perhaps one day someone in a position of influence will ask it to do so.
Let's take a look at the story page (emphasis added):
The article published Monday in Aftonbladet, Sweden's largest circulation daily, implies a link between those charges and the recent arrest in the U.S. of an American Jew for illicit organ trafficking.
Headlined "Our sons are plundered for their organs," the story made news in Israel, where some commentators compared it to medieval libels that Jews killed Christian children for their blood. Daniel Seaman, who heads Israel's government press office, said the article played on "vile anti-Semitic themes."
The article was illustrated with a photograph of a dead Palestinian man with a line of surgical stitches running the length of his torso, apparently taken after an autopsy, as well as pictures of stone-throwing youths and Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, a New York resident arrested in an FBI sting last month and charged with plotting to buy a kidney from an Israeli and sell it to an American patient for $160,000.
But then, a little further down, is this account of an interview the "reporter," Donald Bostrom, gave to Israel Radio (emphasis added):
Interviewed on Israel Radio on Wednesday, Bostrom said he was worried by the allegations he reported but could not vouch for their accuracy.Let's pause and think about that for a moment. Here we have a story based on totally unsubstantiated allegations, directed at Jews, in the most incendiary tinderbox in the world (but with an implicit connection to U.S. Jews), that's a variation of blood libels that are two thousand years old. The "reporter" himself admits he has "no idea, no clue" if what he wrote about is true.
"It concerns me, to the extent that I want it to be investigated, that's true. But whether it's true or not – I have no idea, I have no clue," he told the station.
Could there have been a bigger red warning flag to a responsible "newspaper" that this story is completely bogus?
Yet HuffPost chose to place this "story" prominently on its front page, and thoughtfully accompanied it by a picture of smiling Israeli soldiers, marching. Not only that, HuffPost promoted this blood libel in the second-most-prominent space on the site --- as "teasers" atop the prime news story page of the day... which, on this day, happened to be a story about Israeli-U.S. relations:
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So what is the truth?
As it turns out, not only is what the "reporter" alleges medically impossible, the Palestinian family he "interviewed" denied making the original charge.
The following is a brief roundup of some articles discussing this outrage:
Israel Organ Harvesting Scandal 'Medically Impossible' (The Local, Sweden)
Aftonbladet Editor Admits: No Evidence (Jerusalem Post)
Palestinian Family: We Didn't Say Organs Taken (Jerusalem Post)
Swedish Blood Libel: The Aftermath (HonestReporting analysis)
Sweden's Aftonbladet Spreads Libels, Bigotry (CAMERA analysis)
Of course, HuffPost chose to publish none of these analyses, least of all on its front page. As Natan Sharansky noted, these acts and omissions are classic trademarks of anti-Semitism.
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So what kinds of user comments did HuffPost review, approve and decide to publish, in response to this incitement?
Need you ask?
Given HuffPost's history of reviewing, approving and deciding to publish user comments containing anti-Semitic hatred, conspiracy theories and libels (many in violation of its own Comment Policy and Terms of Service), need one wonder what kinds of reactions a "story" such as this incited? As shown below, the answer is sadly, no.
There was something different about this comment thread, however: HuffPost debuted a new notice, advising users that it is "fully moderated," which it explains as follows:
As is documented here, however, Ms. Huffington admitted in July 2008 that HuffPost had been and would be pre-moderating all user comments on all threads, so we're not sure why this new notice is necessary --- because it continued to approve the same kinds of anti-Semitic hatred, conspiracy theories and libels that it has been doing for the past several years. A sampling of the comments that appeared on this thread (in chronological order; PDFs available upon request):
MisterHands I'm a Fan of MisterHands 98 fans permalink
Of course they do-- who's surprised by anything Isrl does?
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:35 AM on 08/19/2009
Ithamer I'm a Fan of Ithamer permalink
Nothing should surprise the World about the conduct of the people occupying 75 % of Palestine.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:42 AM on 08/19/2009
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EspressoAtNoon I'm a Fan of EspressoAtNoon 22 fans permalink
Hey, when you're engaged in ethnic cleansing, I guess anyone can begin to wonder what else you might be engaging in. Violent bigotry often raises suspicion and contempt.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:44 AM on 08/19/2009
(reply)
Rimarez I'm a Fan of Rimarez 17 fans permalink
Cosign and they are ethnic cleansing with the blessing of the USA and using YOUR tax dollars.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:50 AM on 08/19/2009
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MisterHands I'm a Fan of MisterHands 98 fans permalink
The truth hurts.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:58 AM on 08/19/2009
Tomhere I'm a Fan of Tomhere 4 fans permalink
BETCHA THIS IS TRUE - I would not be surprised at all.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:53 AM on 08/19/2009
Rimarez I'm a Fan of Rimarez 17 fans permalink
It infruriates them because their theft and crimes against humanity are coming to light.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:26 AM on 08/19/2009
Prattvictory2 I'm a Fan of Prattvictory2 13 fans permalink
With all the reports of continual abuse of Palestinians by the IDF, the apparent lack of respect of the humanity of the Palestinian people that is demonstrated towards them, it would only seem that this would be the next step.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:50 AM on 08/19/2009
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newyorkid I'm a Fan of newyorkid 22 fans permalink
Let's get rid of that country and return it back to the PaIestinians.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:06 AM on 08/19/2009
(reply)
Rimarez I'm a Fan of Rimarez 17 fans permalink
Never happen. the ''chosenites''' plan on starting WWIII>
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:15 AM on 08/19/2009
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dravazed I'm a Fan of dravazed permalink
Obviously, this requires more documentation. It is also likely that it would be difficult to prove, assuming that the author's thesis is true--Israelis are not about to admit to such a practice. It would not surprise, however, given their proven practices of torture,ethnic cleansing, and offhand murder of people who object to the theft of their lands by The Only People Who Matter.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:25 AM on 08/19/2009
Lucille I'm a Fan of Lucille 21 fans permalink
Just great, yet another issue for the Obama administration must get involved in considering we give Israel approximately $10 million dollars a month (at least) to help sustain various programs and their military, so we are part of whatever the Israeli government is or is not doing to the Palestinians.
The Palestinians are completely defenseless [...] make Israel stop doing it.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:44 AM on 08/19/2009
PittDude I'm a Fan of PittDude 2 fans permalink
The palestinians were robbed from their homes.. killed, isolated, denied their existence, denied basic human rights, their kids were murdered in cold blood, their land is burned, their air is posinoed, their water is intentionally contaminated by high altitude selttlments' sewer, their farms are devastated, their routs are cut, their future is gone, their past is erased, their presence is killing them.. then a story coming about taking organs from murdered Palestinians and all of a sudden the world develop a freakin concious!! well done "free" world.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:48 AM on 08/19/2009
ezeflyer I'm a Fan of ezeflyer 8 fans permalink
Raises war-profiteering to a new level.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:07 AM on 08/19/2009
unch I'm a Fan of unch permalink
Babarrians; still they get our billions billions free that should be for healthcare and jobs for Americans.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:53 AM on 08/19/2009
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ADDENDUM Nov 8, 2009: HuffPost lambasts another Internet newspaper for inadequate editorial control(!)
Given HuffPost's history of generating false and misleading headlines and key content regarding (a) Israeli and Jewish affairs, and (b) conservative individuals and groups, this development is quite ironic.
On November 6, 2009, we were alerted to the fact that one of HuffPost allowed one of its "reporters," Jason Linkins, to lambast World Net Daily for not adequately checking the facts in an article submitted by contributing writer Jerome Corsi. (Disclaimer: We are fans of neither WND nor Corsi.)
Note: You can see how high up on HuffPost's main page this story was featured, by checking out the position of the scroll bar at right.
Basically, WND published a piece by Corsi in which he alleged that the accused Ft. Hood mass murderer, Nidal Malik Hasan, was an "adviser" during the Obama transition. Specifically, Corsi alleged that Hasan "played a homeland security advisory role in President Barack Obama's transition into the White House."
The facts show indisputably that Hasan was a participant in the 2009 Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University's Presidential Transition Task Force. But for WND and Corsi to insinuate that Hasan was somehow a hand-picked "adviser" to the Obama transition team is misleading and inflammatory, especially in the wake of his murder spree at Ft. Hood.
Apparently, however, this was sufficient justification for HuffPost to publish a screed by Linkins, in which he states (emphasis added):
In short, the facts Corsi obtained torpedo the premise of his piece, which, I remind you, is that the "shooter advised [the] Obama transition." Were this being written for a responsible journalistic entity, some creature called an "editor" would have stepped in and said, "Hey, Jerome, you realize that by your own findings, you article is complete horseshit, right?" But this is World Net Daily, written by and for complete charlatans.
Pot calling the kettle black, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
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