Much has been made recently about Hamas intimidating journalists into keeping silent about the terrorist organization’s activity within civilian facilities and into refraining from publishing images of Hamas fighters or weapons. Journalists have deleted tweets about Hamas’ exploitation of Shifa hospital. In a Los Angeles Times photo gallery about the conflict now close to 100 images, not a single photo shows Hamas fighters or weaponry. Not a single caption even mentions Hamas.

The New York Times, too, has not escaped scrutiny for its failure to include images depicting Hamas.

Uriel Heilman of JTA helpfully provides a response from Eileen Murphy, The Times’ vice president for corporate communications, on the lack of Hamas images in the “Paper of record”:

Our photo editor went through all of our pictures recently and out of many hundreds, she found 2 very distant poor quality images that were captioned Hamas fighters by our photographer on the ground. It is very difficult to identify Hamas because they don’t have uniforms or any visible insignia; our photographer hasn’t even seen anyone carrying a gun.

I would add that we would not withhold photos of Hamas militants. We eagerly pursue photographs from both sides of the conflict, but we are limited by what our photographers have access to.

Hamas terrorists have fired over 3,000 missiles at Israeli civilians since the start of this conflict, many of them from very densely populated neighborhoods where foreign photographers are endlessly photographing devastation. If New York Times’ photographers aren’t given “access” to shoot these Hamas rocket launching teams, The Times should be saying so loudly and clearly. But it’s not.

Finally, though, over the weekend The Times does speak up about censorship in the Gaza conflict. Steven Erlanger reports:

Lieutenant Goldin is a relative of Mr. Yaalon, the defense minister. Mr. Yaalon’s grandfather and the grandmother of the lieutenant’s father were brother and sister. Mr. Yaalon lectured at Lieutenant Goldin’s school.

Israel’s military censor had blocked publication of that detail of their family relationship until the death was announced Sunday, concerned that Hamas might try to profit from that knowledge. International journalists must agree in writing to comply with the censorship system to work in Jerusalem; Friday was the first time in more than six years that the censor had contacted The New York Times.

Erlanger, a former Jerusalem bureau chief for The Times, is no stranger to Hamas and its tactics. When he reported from the region, he virtually ignored the story of Palestinian incitement against Jews and Israel. Days after he safely arrived in Paris, he published a serious article on the hate indoctrination taught to Palestinians of all ages, a key element of the conflict.

By treating the two sides with a double standard, by standing by silently as one side relentlessly threatens and intimidates reporters, and at the same time clearly noting (as is reasonable) when Israeli censorship is at play, The Times’ continues to demonstrate it has abandoned the basic tenents of serious, professional journalism.

As of Saturday, the Iron Dome intercepted more than 550 rockets fired by Palestinians since the start of “Operation Protective Edge” (Photo from Israel’s Ministry of Defense)

In an Aug. 1 Associated Press article, Bradley Klapper grossly understates the number of Palestinian rockets fired at Israel that have been intercepted by the Iron Dome. He wrote:

The money will go to restocking Israel’s Iron Dome, which has been credited with shooting down dozens of incoming rockets fired by Palestinian militants over three and a half weeks of war.

As of Saturday (Aug. 2), the Iron Dome has shot down 552 rockets, the army reported.

Following the congressional vote to approve an additional $225 million for the Iron Dome, U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement:

Israel has the right to defend itself against any assault on its sovereignty and its people. This emergency funding will help replenish Israel’s Iron Dome to safeguard the Israeli people from Hamas rocket fire. Since the beginning of the escalation of violence the Iron Dome has intercepted hundreds of Hamas rockets and saved the lives of innocent civilians. . .

Stating that the Iron Dome shot down “dozens” of rockets, not “hundreds” is a substantive misrepresentation. While AP editors have declined to publish a clarification, they agree that the future reports should correctly reflect that that hundreds of rockets have been intercepted.

Unfortunately, in its live blog Saturday (Aug. 1), the Times of Israel relied on the misleading AP report alleging that the Iron Dome shot down “dozens” of rockets. (Screen capture below.)

Another post on the same live blog later in the day (17:35) correctly reports that, as of Saturday, the Iron Dome shot down 552 Palestinian rockets. Times of Israel editors have yet to correct the erroneous reference to “dozens” of intercepted rockets.

Steve Kirschbaum, founder and Chair of the Grievance Committee Stevan Kirschbaum of United Steel Workers 8751, marches at the front of a parade in downtown Boston in celebration of Al Quds Day on July 25, 2014. Al Quds Day is a celebration inaugurated by Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran in 1979, (the year of the Iranian Hostage Crisis), to show disdain and contempt for the Jewish state. Al Quds Day celebrations are typically a scene of anti-Israel, antisemitic, and anti-American incitement.(Photo: Dexter Van Zile)

Update, Aug. 11, 2014: Kirschbaum is not president of USW 8751, but its founder and Chair of its Grievance Committee. The text of this entry has been changed to reflect that fact. See note below.

Why are the founder and vice president of the union that represents Boston’s school bus drivers siding with terrorists who blow up buses?

For the past year or so, United Steel Workers 8751, which represents the bus drivers who bring children to public schools in the city of Boston, has been in an ugly contract dispute. It’s fighting with a company called Veolia, which runs the school buses for Boston Public Schools.

In an effort to gain support in its fight with Veolia, which also runs bus lines in Israel, USW 8751 leaders have allied themselves with anti-Zionists in Boston. This is particularly true with USW 8751 founder Steven Kirschbaum and the local’s second-in-command, vice president Steven Gillis.

In March USW leaders picketed in support of Students for Justice in Palestine at Northeastern University in March after it was briefly suspended from operating at the school.
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Much of the coverage of the violence in Gaza contains images of maimed and dead Gazan civilians, especially women and children. The implication is that Israel is not taking all the precautions that it could to avoid harming civilians. Less frequently shown is the problem that Israel confronts with rocket launchers positioned next to buildings inhabited by civilians. This clip is an example of refreshing candor. Al Jazeera reporter Nick Shifrin is on the air when an Israeli missile hits a field immediately adjacent to a hotel. Shifrin informs viewers that rockets had been repeatedly launched from this field that is only 40 feet from the hotel.