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June 09, 2013

CNN Romanticizes Islamic Jihad Soccer Player

CNN.com Sarsak.jpg

Adam Kredo of the Washington Free Beacon reports:

CNN has come under fire for what critics say is a highly misleading Thursday story about a Palestinian soccer player who is boycotting Israel.

Critics said the sympathetic CNN profile of Palestinian soccer player Mahmoud Sarsak neglects to mention is that he is an admitted and active member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a violent Muslim Brotherhood affiliate that carries out terror attacks against Israel.

CNN’s story about Sarsak and his efforts to boycott a high-profile soccer tournament currently taking place in Israel were prominently featured on the front page of CNN’s international edition.

Pro-Israel advocates and Jewish officials expressed outrage over what they said is CNN’s efforts to whitewash Sarsak’s violent background and erroneously portray his boycott as a successful international campaign against Israel.

“The reporter makes a romantic figure out of someone with ties to Islamic Jihad and shows zero skepticism about Sarsak’s rendition of events,�? said Andrea Levin, director of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA). “CNN shouldn’t be in the business of whitewashing. Viewers need the whole story.�? . . .

Rather than note Sarsak’s terrorist credentials near the beginning of the piece, CNN describes him as “a talented striker who had once been called up to the Palestinian national [soccer] team squad.�?

The article goes on to characterize the failed boycott campaign as highly successful and well received.

“The Israelis have accused Sarsak of having links with the extremist organization Islamic Jihad and of being involved in terrorist activities,�? CNN reporter James Montague writes.

However, Sarsak has admitted he is a PIJ member and has been featured extensively on the website of Islamic Jihad’s Saraya, or military wing.

Posted by TS at June 9, 2013 03:44 AM

Comments

Does CNN know what is really going on? The
effect of Islam in Europe which is spreading.
They need not to enable this.

Posted by: Selma Soss at June 15, 2013 11:41 PM

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