The Middle East Media Sampler 04/15/2012: Myths Of The New York Times

From DG:

1) The second myth

 In a recent column, The Three Myths that Distort Every Discussion of Israel and the Middle East, Barry Rubin discusses the second myth:

The concerted international campaign by various groups in the West against Israel damages it and helps the Palestinians. Again, this should be obviously true--that the tireless anti-Israel propaganda campaign materially damages Israel--but the truth is quite the opposite. To date, despite all the noise, Israeli interests—including businesses—have suffered little damage. On the contrary, the attacks encourage support, including increased buying of Israeli products and energetic loyalty by Israel's supporters abroad. But all of these endless demonstrations, teach-ins, books, articles, documentaries, boycott, disinvestment, and sanction labors do absolutely zero to help the Palestinians. On one level, they do nothing politically to advance their cause in a real way. On another level, they contribute nothing to their welfare.

The Middle East Media Sampler 4/4/2012: Tom Friedman Hearts Terrorist Barghouti

From DG:

1) A Middle East half wit 

Thomas Friedman offers us two opinions in A Middle East Two-fer.

First he whitewashes Marwan Barghouti, approvingly quoting Ha'aretz calling him "the most authentic leader Fatah has produced."

Friedman further quotes "If Israel had wanted an agreement with the Palestinians it would have released him from prison by now.” Really, releasing an unrepentant murderer from jail would prove Israel's interest in peace? Does Friedman has any sense of irony?  Only someone (in this case, Friedman and Ha'aretz) who is deluded would say that peace hinged on rehabilitating a murderer. The reason Barghouti is so popular is because of his record of promoting violence against Israel not to mention his intransigence.