Updates to "HuffPost's total blackout of 'the rest of the story' regarding the "Peace Flotilla"

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Continued from:

6/2/10: HuffPost's total blackout of "the rest of the story" regarding the "Peace Flotilla"

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UPDATE, June 2, 11:30a: HuffPost resumes its breathless, top-line smearing of Israel

We knew HuffPost's blackout on Israel couldn't last. But is Barney Frank's opinion really more important than the status of the BP leak story (just below)? Is this the most important story for the world's #1 most-read blog to cover, at this particular moment in time? And does this mean that not one of the Jewish members of Congress is proud of Israel? Or does this mean that HuffPost's crack "reporters" refused to even attempt to find one?


UPDATE: From our friends at Brothers of Judea:

Barney Frank Retracts Comment, HuffPost No Longer Interested

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UPDATE, June 3, 10:30a: HuffPost goes to the mat to insulate Obama from his radical leftist and radical Islamist critics, with screaming headline: "White House: We Warned Israel"

Let's see. In his Cairo pontification, President Obama said, "any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail." In Straosberg, Germany, he said American recent foreign policy "has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.” And at the United Nations, he said, "No nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold.”

Such high-minded, post-American, egalitarian principles. But of course, those principles have an exception --- and its name is Israel. So when Obama needs help in covering for his double-jointed double-standards on Israel, and insulate him from the growing criticism by the radical leftist-radical Islamist axis, who better to rely on than Arianna Huffington, who owns the world's #1 blog (and who admitted, just after the election --- after shilling for him for two years --- that he is one of only three people in the world that she text-messages)?


Wait. We don't remember a single instance in which Obama "warned" Iran over its nuclear program, or over its genocidal threats against Israel and Jews. Or North Korea over its murder of 46 South Koreans, or over its threats of nuclear annihilation. Or Russia, over its territorial lust and kleptocracy. Or Venezuela, over its hosting of Hezbollah terrorists. Or Mexico over the drug gangs that it has allowed to corrupt its government, and wreak havoc along our border. Or...

Nope. The only nation in the world that Obama feels it's okay to dictate to, and dominate, is Israel. How fortunate he is to have a partner like Arianna Huffington, who will not call only not call him out on his hypocrisy, but who will endlessly shill for him, and help to mollify the rising chorus from the radical leftist-radical Islamist axis demanding that he, as Sec. John Bolton said, "put Israel on the chopping block."


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UPDATE, June 3, 4:00p: HuffPost maintains blackout, but posts new story near top of page that is... not quite the full story

Day three of HuffPost's blackout on information that exonerating Israel, or at least puts its actions into context, continues... but HuffPost decided to post this story just under its splash headline, at the top of its front page:

American Citizen Killed In Israeli Raid, Shot Four Times In Head

To read this story, one might reasonably assume that this "American Citizen" was from Detroit, or Chicago, or Los Angeles. But wait, what's that, on the story page? Oh, he's a dual U.S.-Turkish citizen:


Of course, we regret the fact that this man was killed in the actions Israel took to defend itself. But we know nothing about him --- and for all we know, he may have been part of the gang of Islamists on board who were attempting to murder Israeli soldiers. We just don't know --- and clearly, neither does HuffPost.

Two key questions:

• Why did HuffPost put up this story, without any context, if not to muster sympathy for a man who, for all we know, may have been one of the perpetrators?
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• And why did it depict Mr. Dogan only as an American citizen, when in fact he was born here, but lives in Turkey, and has dual citizenship?

Perhaps one day, someone in a position of influence will ask HuffPost to answer these questions. Because to us at HUFF-WATCH, this is smelling awfully familiar... to stories we've already covered of how HuffPost manipulates information in order to unfairly smear Israel:

2/17/10: HuffPost manipulates headline to falsely incriminate Israel in assassination (Users unleash hate; HuffPost: "Approved!!!")

8/4/09: Misleading headline sourced from... Al Jazeera (ill-informed, hateful comments ensue; HuffPost: Approved!!!")

7/14/09: Blaring, misleading headline incites anti-Israel hate, libels (HuffPost: "Approved!!!")

7/6/09: HuffPost covers for a reporter's incompetence* in Israel (*or worse)
5/16/09: Telling half-truths about Netenyahu approval rating

3/11/09: Fomenting anti-Israel hatred by telling only one side of the Charles Freeman withdrawal story

5:10pm update: The front page of HuffPost's "World" page:


Hm. We at HUFF-WATCH wonder, when will HuffPost exhibit one iota of sympathy for Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who has been illegally held by Hamas for four years? For the fact that Hamas has illegally not let any international relief organization (e. g. Red Cross) have access to him? For the fact that the "peace flotilla" activists refused Shalit's parents' request that they ask Hamas to let them see him?

Oh wait --- we forgot. Shalit is a Jew, and an Israeli. And as we at HUFF-WATCH have documented in previous instances, Jewish victims of crimes get treated very differently at HuffPost:

4/2/09: Ax murder of Shlomo Nativ - A grim addendum

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UPDATE, June 3, 4:20pm: HuffPost fills front page space with... slam on Sarah Palin for affiliation with "Nixon's Jew Counter(!?)"

Thanks to a tip from the inestimable StarMC ("Pointing out Anti-American and Anti-Troop Bias in the Enemedia")... rather than even making a token gesture at posting exonerating information on the "peace flotilla" and Israel's actions, HuffPost decided to post this near the top of its front page:


This is what HuffPost has chosen to devote space on its front page to covering? This is how a "nonpartisan" Internet "newspaper" acts? Really?

If this is "the future of journalism," as Time magazine claimed* Arianna Huffington sees herself, we really are doomed. (*Arianna Huffington: The Web's New Oracle)


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UPDATE, June 4, 12:50pm: HuffPost, in an act of Über-Chutzpah, calls out Glenn Beck for "lying" about coverage of IDF footage of assault by flotilla "humanitarians"

How immune does HuffPost apparently think it is from exposure of its anti-Semitic journalistic jihad against Israel? How's this for a partial answer, by HuffPost's "Dan Abramson":

WATCH: Stewart Slams Glenn Beck For Lying About Flotilla Raid Footage

Stewart took it to Glenn Beck last night. And as usual, it was ridiculously entertaining.

On a recent episode of his show, Beck was seen touting that Fox News was the only media outlet be bold enough to air footage of the Israeli flotilla raid.

It wasn't. Stewart proceeded to highlight the seemingly endless list of networks who had also aired the footage (everyone from CBS to Univision!). And making the lie even worse was the fact that all the instances came well before the airing of the Beck episode in question.

Note the word "Lying" in HuffPost's headline. Then watch the video to which they refer to, here.

If HuffPost's hypocrisy weren't so blatant, and so potentially dangerous, this would be mildly amusing. It isn't.


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UPDATE, June 4, 1:10pm: Instead of covering the unraveling of the "Peace Flotilla" narrative, it posts a story about... Jews' genetics

Yes, really. Offered without comment:

But that wasn't quite enough. No, in an act of Super-Über-Chutzpah, HuffPost published a teaser about an article at the end of this story on Jews' genetics by a representative of the unindicted co-conspirator and terror front group CAIR (Council On American-Islamic Relations), commenting on the "peace flotilla" situation, as it pertains to Jews (more here, here and here)

So who is Ahmad Rehab? According to his HuffPost bio:

Ahmed Rehab is currently the Executive Director of the Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago). CAIR is the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group.

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UPDATE, June 4, 6:45pm: HuffPost runs story by Al-Jazeera "reporter," falsely claiming that Israel fired on Flotilla before boarding it Once again, HuffPost relied upon the terrorist-friendly, notorious al-Jazeera for "news" which, almost invariably, turns out to be fake --- but which HuffPost conveniently neglects to follow-up on, once this discovery is made. Let's take a look at the false, inflammatory headline that HuffPost chose to run, to further incite hatred against Israel:


Of course, HuffPost didn't bother to report on any of the detailed analysis provided by these sources, that kick the legs out from under its --- and al-Jazeera's --- false claims, and biased reporting:

StandWithUs's FLOTILLA FACTS. Press release here

CAMERA's The Gaza Flotilla: Falsehoods and Facts

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UPDATE, June 6, 11:20 am: One of HuffPost's Washington, DC "reporters" regurgitates the cyber-jihadis' libels against Israel, and Jews

Jason Linkins is described in his bio as follows:

Jason Linkins is a Political Reporter at the Huffington Post, covering media and politics. He's based in Washington, DC. Previously, he wrote for HuffPo's Eat The Press, and has also contributed to DCist and Wonkette.

To which we contend one more credit should be added: "Shameless shill for the cyber-jihad."

In his article TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads today, which was positioned just beneath the top story on HuffPost's front page, Linkins vomits up a generations-old anti-Semitic conspiracy theory --- currently repeated endlessly by militant Islamists --- that the U.S. government invariably supports Israel, presumably because Jews "own" the government (emphasis added):

I sure hope he [Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren] will be fair to Israel, because I'm beginning to think that the lockstep support from the U.S. Government and the tacit agreement to not make observations or conclusions that suggest the Israel is not infallible to a Pope-like degree isn't good enough for anyone, anymore!

Linkins almost immediately follows this slur with his direct recitation of one of al Qaeda's and Hamas's main talking points (emphasis added):

Well, you know, the slow systemic extermination of [Palestinian] people through starvation and privation sure is peaceful.

Of course, Linkins is full of crap, as this article will thoroughly demonstrate. But before we go there...

How ironic --- it was only a few months ago that Mr. Linkins excoriated another publication for... not exercising adequate editorial control

Here's how Jason Linkins lashed out (justifiably) at another "Internet newspaper" just a few months ago:

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.

Hypocrisy, anyone? Anyone? Bueller? It doesn't even matter, if the journalistic world is either too unknowing, or too afraid, to point out the red-letter hypocrisy at HuffPost. So let's demolish Linkins' most incendiary libel, in detail, shall we?

First, no one in Gaza is starving --- mostly because of the aid that Israel sends into the region

If Israel is working to "exterminate" the Gazans, how is it that they have one of the world's highest population growth rates, as well as one of the highest birth rates?

That might have something to do with the fact that Israel works hard to ensure that the civilian population in Gaza has plenty of food and medicine. Here are a few pictures of the aid that Israel has provided, or allowed to be brought in by charities. Does it look like Gazans are starving, Mr. Linkins?

And it was only a few months ago that Hamas blamed Egypt --- not Israel --- for "starving" Gazans. And remember, it is Israel that is letting the UN bring several hundred thousand laptop computers for "starving" Gazans.

But you don't have to mention any of that Mr. Linkins, because you work for a publication that is perfectly willing to publish your inflammatory claims and conspiracy theories against Israel (Except, didn't Ms. Huffington recently claim that such things are prohibited on HuffPost? Why, yes she did!).

Second, the reason Gazans may be feeling a pinch is because Hamas is turning back the aid that Israel is trying to get through

According to the Guardian (not exactly known as an Israel-friendly paper), on June 3, 2010:

The de facto Hamas government in Gaza has refused to accept truckloads of aid offloaded from the flotilla raided by Israeli forces earlier this week.

According to officials in Gaza, Hamas has said it will not permit the supplies to enter the besieged territory until all detained activists are released and Israel agrees to deliver all aid consignments, including construction materials.

Third, Gazans have a bit of a history of destroying the materials given to help them become self-sufficient

From here. According to the Guardian:

American Jewish donors had bought more than 3,000 greenhouses from Israeli settlers in Gaza for $14 million last month and transferred them to the Palestinian Authority. Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who brokered the deal, put up $500,000 of his own cash. Palestinian police stood by helplessly Tuesday as looters carted off materials from greenhouses in several settlements, and commanders complained they did not have enough manpower to protect the prized assets. In some instances, there was no security and in others, police even joined the looters, witnesses said.

And according to the New York Daily News:

GAZA - A week after they descended like locusts on the greenhouses that Jewish settlers nurtured in Gaza, looters continue to pillage what should be a prize asset for a fledgling Palestinian state. [...] When a Daily News correspondent visited abandoned Jewish settlements in Gaza, he found brazen vandals dismantling farms that once produced some of the world's finest tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. The now-gutted greenhouses were gifts to the Palestinian people from U.S. philanthropists, who raised $14 million to buy them from departing settlers.

Fourth, who is working towards whose "extermination," Mr. Linkins?

Those with even the most basic grasp of knowledge of the Middle East know that there is only one group that has openly advocated for the "systemic extermination" of another group: Militant Islamists, including those in the Gaza Strip, who vow to exterminate Jews. Here are Hamas's glorious, official words of peace, diplomacy, tolerance, diversity, inclusion, understanding:

• "We will not rest until we destroy the Zionist entity" (January 2009)
  
  
• "Suffering by fire is the Jews' destiny in this world and the next... Therefore we are sure that the Holocaust is still to come upon the Jews" (April 2008)
  
  
• "Jews are a people who cannot be trusted. They have been traitors to all agreements. Go back to history. Their fate is their vanishing." (April 2008)
  
  
• "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it... There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors." (Hamas charter, 1988)

And here are the glorious words of Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah:

• “If they [the Jews] all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them world wide.”
  Daily Star (Lebanon), via CAMERA, "Hassan Nasrallah: In His Own Words," July 26, 2006
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• "There is no solution to the conflict in this region except with the disappearance of Israel."
  "Little choice for a defiant Israel," The Age (Australia),July 15, 2006

More here: 4/8/09: One-sided coverage of "Outlandish Statements" from the Middle East

Where has an Israeli or Jewish leader ever said anything that even approaches any of the above, Mr. Linkins? Of course, none have. But that doesn't really matter, does, so long as you can continue perpetuating HuffPost's long history of anti-Semitic, anti-Israel lies and double-standards, and no one calls you out on it.

CONCLUSION & ACTION ITEM

In the final analysis, it doesn't even matter if Mr. Linkins is ignorant of the fact that he is mindlessly parroting militant Islamists' talking points, and libels against Jews and Israel. The vital facts are as follows:

• This is not an isolated incident of HuffPost's anti-Semitic, anti-Israel bias, or its willingness to use its website to incite and tolerate hatred of both. To the contrary, it is part of HuffPost's continuing pattern of such behavior.
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• HuffPost claims it has 53 "editors," who one would assume are in charge of... editing the work of its "reporters." Can anyone with even a passing interest in journalistic standards explain how such inflammatory claims and conspiracy theories (which Ms. Huffington claims she has prohibited!) could be published by a "newspaper" that claims to be nonpartisan, and that what makes it different and better than its rivals is that it recognizes "the highest calling of journalists is to ferret out the truth, consequences be damned"?

Perhaps, one day, someone in a position of influence will ask HuffPost to explain itself.

For now, if you are as concerned as we are about HuffPost's blatant anti-Semitic bias, and would like to make your voice known to its management (politely, please), here's how.




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