- "Iran Looms Over Clinton's Mideast Trip"; By Mark Landler; A12
- "Those Who Deny the Holocaust Deny History"; Letters; A30
- "Israeli Dance Troupe May Draw Protest"; By Daniel J Wakin; C2
Iran is a central “concern” of Secretary of State Clinton. The Islamic Republic is “constantly on her mind;” she is “struck by the depth of fear” Iran arouses in the leaders of the Middle East. The source of the fear, in Clinton’s words, is Iran’s “efforts to fund terrorism, whether it is Hezbollah or Hamas or other proxies.”
Indeed the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah have destabilized the Middle East, but they are not the primary source of fear. Rather, Iran’s nuclear program is. Not until the ninth paragraph , however, does Landler report on the threat of “nuclear warheads.” That is the only mention of the nuclear issue, evidencing NYT’s reluctance to acknowledge the danger of an Iranian nuclear weapon.
Two other significant problems exist in "Iran Looms." In the sixth paragraph, Landler writes that Clinton “criticized an Israeli plan to tear down dozens of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.” The reader is left without an explanation for why the homes will be torn down and is left to conjure up any number of reasons why this policy is being pursued. Finally, in the last paragraph Landler fills in the rest of the information, explaining that the houses were built illegally, without permits from the municipality. Batsheva Dance Company, an Israeli troupe,
The second significant shortcoming of Landler’s article is his treatment of the border-crossings between Israel and Gaza. Again, in the sixth paragraph, the reader learns that “critics say” Israel is “constricting deliveries of necessary goods.”
Similar to how he handled the matter of house demolition, Landler neglects to flesh out the matter for ten paragraphs. “Israel heavily restricts deliveries of building materials, like cement, to Gaza. But humanitarian goods, like food and medicine, regularly pass through the crossings,” he reports.
Now, building materials, like cement, food, and medicine could all be considered “necessary goods,” so the “critics’” view may still stand. However, because Landler did not seek out an Israeli response to the “critics,” readers will not learn that cement has been kept out of Gaza because Hamas employs it to build bunkers and tunnels.
By spacing out information on the key issues of house demolition and border-crossings, Landler forces readers to piece together the situation instead of presenting it coherently from the outset.
Two other significant problems exist in "Iran Looms." In the sixth paragraph, Landler writes that Clinton “criticized an Israeli plan to tear down dozens of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.” The reader is left without an explanation for why the homes will be torn down and is left to conjure up any number of reasons why this policy is being pursued. Finally, in the last paragraph Landler fills in the rest of the information, explaining that the houses were built illegally, without permits from the municipality. Batsheva Dance Company, an Israeli troupe,
The second significant shortcoming of Landler’s article is his treatment of the border-crossings between Israel and Gaza. Again, in the sixth paragraph, the reader learns that “critics say” Israel is “constricting deliveries of necessary goods.”
Similar to how he handled the matter of house demolition, Landler neglects to flesh out the matter for ten paragraphs. “Israel heavily restricts deliveries of building materials, like cement, to Gaza. But humanitarian goods, like food and medicine, regularly pass through the crossings,” he reports.
Now, building materials, like cement, food, and medicine could all be considered “necessary goods,” so the “critics’” view may still stand. However, because Landler did not seek out an Israeli response to the “critics,” readers will not learn that cement has been kept out of Gaza because Hamas employs it to build bunkers and tunnels.
By spacing out information on the key issues of house demolition and border-crossings, Landler forces readers to piece together the situation instead of presenting it coherently from the outset.
In the Letters' section, Deborah Lipstadt demonstrates her renowned strength and intelligence in a response to an article about Bishop Williamson and his relationship to Holocaust denier David Irving. The letter is must-read, though Lipstadt should have called out the reporter, Rachel Donadio, by name for referring to Irving as a "historian."
In New York City, an unnamed group has organized a demonstration outside the Brooklyn Academy of Music in response to the performance of the Israeli Batsheva Dance Company.
By characterizing the demonstrators as human rights activists instead of defamers of Israel, he simultaneously flatters and misunderstands them. One can hardly imagine a group taking to the street to protest a Palestinian dance troupe because Hamas fires rockets into Israel.
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