Article: Clock ticking on bid to stop Iran nuke program

Date: Thursday, December 30, 2010

This was a short article which simply reported the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon said Iran's nuclear program had been set back by technical difficulties and sanctions and appeared to be three years away from a nuclear bomb.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: THE QUOTE

Date: Monday, December 27, 2010

This brief article simply quoted Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman on the Turkish demand for an apology regarding the Mavi Marmara affair, saying "I think the matter of an apology borders on chutzpah or beyond"

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 5
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Seattle rejects bus ads from both sides over Mideast conflict

Date: Saturday, December 25, 2010

This article reported on Seattle rejecting political ads on its buses.

Opinion: The writer inserted opinions about the purpose of the advertising campaign by the anti-Israel group and the purpose of Operation Cast Lead: "The ad campaign was intended to recognize the second anniversary of the start of Israel's Gaza offensive in 2008, which was partly aimed at quashing rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 9
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 1

Article: Hard cash: Makeover of Israel's money riles many

Date: Saturday, December 25, 2010

This article reported on controversies surrounding Israel's issuance of new currency.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Leaked cable: Abbas shared intel with Israel

Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2010

This article reported on a cable released by Wikileaks noting Israel and the Palestinian Authority cooperated in working against Hamas.

Opinion: The writer inserted the opinion that "the cooperation described in a diplomatic memo leaked by WikiLeaks could fuel criticism of Abbas by Islamist rivals."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: American tourist slain while hiking in Israel

Date: Monday, December 20, 2010

This was a brief article about an American tourist being murdered and a British immigrant being stabbed in an attack by two Arab men.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Airstrike kills 5 in Gaza

Date: Sunday, December 19, 2010

This article reports on an Israeli airstrike killing five terrorists preparing to launch rockets at Israeli cities and towns. It was interesting in that, in a rarity for the wire services, it used the word "terror," albeit only in a direct quote, while balancing that oddity by noting "Palestinian hospital officials said the five were militants."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 9
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Palestinians to Europe: Recognize us as state

Date: Friday, December 17, 2010

This article reports on the Palestinian Arabs seeking international recognition for an independent state.

Misleading. Omission: The article refers to the breakdown of talks between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs without explaining the Arabs simply walked out.

Omission: The article omitted any reference to the fact that the efforts by the Palestinian Arabs to bypass the Oslo Accords were in violation of those agreements, under which both sides agreed to not take actions changing the status of the disputed territories.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 9
Bias-Free: 7
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 2

Article: 2 die in Gaza fighting

Date: Sunday, December 12, 2010

This short article reported on two Islamic Jihad terrorists being killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli troops.

Bias. Omission: The terrorists were referred to as merely being "militants."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 9
Bias-Free: 9
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Building Freeze Demand Dropped

Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2010

This article reported on the Obama administration dropping its efforts to get Israel to extend its temporary, one-time construction moratorium in the disputed territories.

Inaccuracies: The article incorrectly referred to the American effort as a demand.

Opinion: The writer expressed the opinion that this was a setback.

Opinion: The writer expressed the opinion this "was likely to anger Palestinians."

Opinion: The writer expressed the opinion that the direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs "fell apart over the settlement issue."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 8
Bias-Free: 6
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 4

Article: Israel fires extinguished

Date: December 7, 2010

This was a very short article reported the extinguishing of the wildfire in northern Israel.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Commentary: Objectivity In Reporting? That's News To Me

Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010

This was a "conversation" between Gina Barreca and Laurence Cohen about objectivity in the media. It contained a single reference to the Arab-Israeli conflict, an opinion stated by Laurence Cohen: "I also think NPR coverage of the Middle East is distorted and tilted against Israel. That's not so funny."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 9
Pro-Israel: 1
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Israel says negligence likely caused wildfire

Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010

This was a short article reporting that it appeared the deadly wildfire in the Carmel region was caused by negligence.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Michigan school scraps Helen Thomas award

Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010

This article reported on Wayne State University ending its "Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media Award" because of the bigoted, anti-semitic remarks made by Thomas.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Abbas: Self-rule at risk

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010

This article reported on Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas asserting he might dissolve the Palestinian Authority "if a peace deal could not be achieved with Israel and the world did not recognize a Palestinian state."

Lack of Balance. Absence of Rebuttal. Bias. Omission: The article accurately reported on what Abbas said, but did not include any balancing statements by other sources.

Inaccuracies: It falsely referred to what would happen if "U.S.-backed peace negotiations broke down" despite the fact there are no negotiations since the Arabs already walked out.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 0
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 8

Article: Middle East Peace A Theme For Event

Date: Friday, December 3, 2010

This article announced an event at the Friends Meetinghouse in Storrs.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Israel unveils plans to build more homes

Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010

This article reports on Israeli plans to build homes in its capital city.

Bias. Inaccuracies: The article refers to "Arab east Jerusalem," a non-existent entity.

Opinion: The writer expressed the opinion that the plan would hinder efforts to revive peace talks.

Misleading. Omission: The writer referred to peace talks being suspended after Israel refused to extend a building freeze, which was inaccurately referred to as partial. It omitted to note the Arabs refused to enter talks until the freeze was nearly over and announced they would leave even before they briefly entered them.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 8
Bias-Free: 3
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 8

Article: Israel hit on blockade

Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010

This article reported on mostly unnamed groups, referred to as human rights organizations, criticizing Israel and claiming its easing of its "economic blockade" has had little effect and done little to improve the lives of Palestinians."

Bias. Omission. Misleading: The article omitted any mention of the reason for Israel's naval blockade: the prevention of weapons smuggling to terrorists in Gaza. It also omitted mentioning that so many goods are being transferred from Israel to Gaza that merchants in Gaza are actually exporting some of those goods to Egypt, where supplies are scarcer are prices are higher.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 7
Bias-Free: 3
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 5

Article: Israel OKs deportations

Date: Monday, November 29, 2010

This article reported on Israel approving a plan to deport thousands of illegal migrant workers.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 1

Article: WikiLeaks papers point to concern of Arab leaders

Date: Monday, November 29, 2010

This article reported on an aspect of the release of classified diplomatic cables by Wikileaks.

Opinion: It referred to the comments as "candid" and providing "often unflattering assessments of foreign leaders." It described leaders of Arab monarchies as often being "publicly reluctant to criticize Iran."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 2
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Netanyahu wants wall comments rejected

Date: Friday, November 26, 2010

This article reports on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling on the Palestinian Arab leadership to renounce an official Palestinian Authority report "asserting that the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites, is not Jewish."

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 2
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: CCSU Professor To Discuss Middle East

Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

This article is an announcement of a talk by former CCSU Professor Norton Mezvinsky.

Inaccuracies: The article incorrectly refers to Mezvinsky as a "history professor at CCSU. He's a former professor.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 9
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Israel erecting barrier on Egyptian border

Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

This article reports on the building of a barrier along the border between Egypt and Israel.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: U.S. accused of trying to soften cluster-bomb ban

Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

This article reports on the United States, Russia and China working against a convention to ban cluster bombs. It refers tangentially to Israel.

Opinion: The writer states that the convention was negotiated by countries "frustrated" at blockages of talks in the United Nations.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 8
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Drilling to probe climate, disasters; Dead Sea project's data is 500,000 years in making

Date: Monday, November 22, 2010

This was a non-political article about a scientific project in the Dead Sea.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 0
Anti-Israel: 0

Article: Israel says it hit tunnels in Gaza

Date: Sunday, November 21, 2010

This article reported on the Israeli air force striking smuggling tunnels in Gaza in response to more than ten mortars and rockets fired at Israel.

Ratings

Factual Accuracy: 10
Bias-Free: 10
Pro-Israel: 1
Anti-Israel: 0