Joseph Goebbels Propaganda Prize

This past week has been one of the worst I have seen in two years of watching the Post. The Post has pulled out all the stops in its campaign to convince readers that Palestinians are suffering from Israeli "oppression" while minimizing any damage to Israel and concealing the fact that Israel is fighting for its life against Palestinians forces out to destroy it.

After almost ignoring an attempted Palestinian bombing that backfired, not mentioning the rerouting of the wall, burying news of a missile attack that "slightly injured six children" (one child is in critical condition with shrapnel in his head), etc., etc., the Post finally got around to featuring "the Israeli side".

And what does the Israeli side consist of? A major story on Jews living the good life in Jerusalem ("In Israel, a Vacation from Bombs", 7/31/04, p. A20). Yes, unbelievable as it sounds, that's what they did, complete with photos of a street performer and people drinking at a bar. Get the picture? While the Palestinians are suffering under the Israeli boot, the Israelis are having a good old time of it cavorting around. ("I am now partying as hard as I can to make up for lost time", goes one quote.)

Don't get me wrong. This story, I suppose, is part of the picture. But when the Post prints page after page and photo after photo of Palestinian "suffering" and then chooses this as its rare feature article on Israel, the picture painted is very false. Where are the feature articles about Israeli hospital wards filled with wounded children?

I nominate the Washington Post for the Joseph Goebbels Propaganda award. Goebbels would have been proud of them.