Upsetting Palestinians

"Israel Closes Media Center, Upsetting Palestinians"
A12, Tuesday 5/12/09,
By Isabel Kershner

This headline could've easily been worded "Palestinian Authority Opens Media Center, Upsetting Israelis". Then the onus would've been on Kershner to explain exactly why opening a media center in East Jerusalem would upset Israeli authorities. She would've had to delve into the rationale behind the law she briefly cites.

Instead, the headline is another standard format when it comes to Times Mideast coverage: "Israel (Verb), Palestinians Upset" or "Israel (Verb), Stoking Tensions"

The Oslo Accords determined that Jerusalem's status would be decided in the negotiations on a permanent settlement. What Kershner fails to point out is that the 1994 law was part of an agreement with which the Palestinians agreed. It is often stated by the Times that by building in East Jerusalem, Israel prejudices a final status agreement. Is this not also true for the Palestinian Authority?

Kershner makes no attempt to seek out the rationale behind this law. Instead, the article is another "he-said, he-said," as Kershner states "Israel and the Palestinians competed to exercise authority in the contested part of the city." Actually, Israel already exercises authority in the contested part of the city and it is the Palestinian Authority that can reasonably be viewed as engaging in a provocative act.

Previous Palestinian Authority events in the city have not simply been political, but have incited against Israel. Kershner should've explored what "background material" was distributed for the papal visit by the PA at its Sunday event. The nature of this material, possibly propagandistic, would've underscored Israel's concern with what the Palestinian Authority does in Jerusalem, and help further explain why it chose to close down the media center the following day.