Are Protestors “Militants”?
Both protesters and terrorists are “militants” to the Chicago Tribune
CAMERA has repeatedly criticized the media for calling terrorists who murder Israeli civilians “militants.” Now, some in the media are using identical wording — militants — to describe both Israeli protestors demonstrating against their government’s policy and Palestinians who murder women and children. Joel Greenberg in the June 28 Chicago Tribune writes that:
Militant opponents of the pullout have threatened to block roads this week and to bring Israel to a standstill when the army closes off the Gaza settlements in preparation for the evacuation.
The week before, Greenberg used the term militant to describe a Palestinian who ambushed and killed an Israeli motorist.
The two-hour meeting was overshadowed by a recent surge in attacks by Palestinian militants …
Sharon said the Palestinian Authority has failed to crack down on militants. A day before the summit, gunmen in the West Bank killed a Jewish settler.
The word becomes devoid of any meaning when protestors and murderers are both labeled “militants.”
Furthermore, Greenberg employs a double standard within this June 28 story by describing only anti-disengagement protestors as “militants” — three separate times. Yet he apparently feels the word is not appropriate to describe the radical International Solidarity Movement, which he simply describes as a “pro-Palestinian” group.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the media has morally equated peaceful demonstrators with violent terrorists.
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