There they go again...

Today's article ("Jewish Settlements, Outposts Expanding Despite Pledges") focuses attention on supposed Israeli acts that are supposedly hurting the peace process.  As usual, the Post exaggerates the problem to the point of lying.  Even if their disputed figures are correct, surely an expansion of 47 acres in the Gaza strip, with a total area of 90,000 acres, is neither "growing rapidly" or "most striking".  (Not to mention that the government says the "expansion" is actually within existing boundaries, and so is not an expansion at all.)

I also question their statement that "settlers occupy approximately 40% of the land in the Gaza Strip".  According to a Palestinian map I found on the web, the settlement area is clearly much less - perhaps about 15% (no figures were given).

And of course the Post points its finger at Israel for violating the road map but doesn't state that the Palestinians never fulfilled their FIRST obligation under the road map - to vow and take actions to end terrorism.  It is ironic that when Israel tries to do what the Palestinians should have done but didn't, by constructing a security barrier, the Palestinians only complain about it.

But the real problem, I think, is how the Post always manages to write stories critical of Israel, even when there is other news.  This is a time when other papers are writing about the political turmoil in the Palestinian Authority.  For example, today's story in the Washington Times ("Arafat gives Qureia some police powers") states that "public pressure on Mr. Arafat mounted in Gaza City, where thousands of demonstrators protested outside the parliament building to call on the Palestinian  leader to fire his nephew Moussa Arafat..."

But the Post has an agenda, and its agenda is to focus attention on anything negative about Israel that it can find or invent.