Checkpoints Take Toll on Post Reporting

comPost's Moore does it again.

On page A1, she emphasizes Palestinian suffering and Israeli cruelty....this time at the checkpoints on page A1 no less. When was the last time the Post reported on US checkpoints?

Checkpoints Take Toll on Palestinians, Israeli Army
Civilians Describe Abuse; Troops Lament Conditions
By Molly Moore
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, November 29, 2004; Page A01

Embedded in the article is this statement, which captures Moore's imbalance:

At least 83 Palestinians seeking medical care have died during delays at checkpoints, according to the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group. At the same time, 39 Israeli soldiers and police officers have been killed at checkpoints and roadblocks, according to the Israeli military.

She credulously cites a Palestinian group's sensational claim, which if wrong means the checkpoints are not nearly as severe as claimed. If wrong, it means Israeli soldiers routinely risk their lives, while Palestinians are merely delayed.

A fairer piece would also describe the terrorist's tactic of using ambulances, pregnant women and children to conduct their terrorism.

A still fairer piece would have compared Israeli checkpoint practices with US and other western checkpoint practices.....say the French, for instance.

My guess is that Israeli practices compare favorably.

Notice her subtle choice of verbs also in the following passages. Israeli military sources merely "say", while Palestinian sources "document", creating the subtle but false impression that Palestinian sources are more credible.

The Israeli military says the checkpoints are necessary to protect Israel and Jewish settlements in the territories from Palestinian attackers. Government and military officials have repeatedly cited the system of checkpoints in the West Bank as one of several factors contributing to a steady reduction in the number of suicide bombings against Israeli targets in the past two years.

At the same time, Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of abuse by Israeli troops against Palestinians at roadblocks: beatings, shootings, harassment, humiliation and life-threatening delays. Last year, a female Israeli soldier assigned to a Gaza Strip checkpoint was convicted of forcing a Palestinian woman at gunpoint to drink a bottle of cleaning fluid, according to court records. This month, soldiers at the Beit Iba checkpoint, not far from the Hawara checkpoint, ordered a Palestinian to open his violin case and play for them while the lines behind him grew.