A Captive and a Spy

1. "Palestine Backer or Israeli Spy? Lebanese in Shock at Arrest"; By Robert F Worth; A1, A8
2. "Israel Says It Will Unseal Gaza Only if Solider is Freed"; By Isabel Kershner; A8

On the front page is a report on the arrest of Ali al-Jarrah, an accused Lebanese spy for Israel. By consistently presenting himself to others as "an earnest supporter of the Palestinian cause," he enjoyed a relatively successful career in espionage from 1983 until this past year.

Although he alludes to the matter, Robert F Worth neglects to explore the collaboration of Hezbollah and Syria in the discovery of Jarrah's activities.

According to Isabel Kershner (IK) - reporting on A8 - Israel is "sharpening" its position by demanding the release of Gilad Shalit as part of any agreement with Hamas.

Aside from Hamas leaders and an Israeli liason, however, IK quotes no one who views the Israeli cabinet's unanimous decision negatively, undermining her claim that it is "widely seen as a hardening of the Israeli stance."

In the midst of what is largely a critical article about the cabinet's vote, IK manages to insert a charge of "collective punishment" against Israel. Each time this accusation is made, it should be counterpoised with a recognition of the paucity of dissent, whether willful or forced, in Gaza. If more people stood up to Hamas rule, then the likelihood of ending the blockade would increase.

Missing from IK's article are quotes from the Israeli public and the Shalit family, who would likely champion the cabinet vote as a show of resolve.