‘Fake News’ Catches Up With Haaretz‘s Chemi Shalev
Yesterday, Haaretz ran a news analysis by veteran reporter Chemi Shalev which, in part, castigated President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for depicting “the media’s reports and opinions . . . as ‘fake news'” (“By Bashing the Media, Trump and Netanyahu Foster Their Tribalist, Right-wing Support“). Ironically, Haaretz today published a correction about that very column, clarifying that “a quote was attributed erroneously to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, which she did not say.”
What exactly was the quote “which she did not say”? Shalev wrote:
Reacting to allegations made last year by Police Chief Roni Alsheikh that police officers investigating Netanyahu were being harassed and followed, Shaked noted that the police commander was “the new protected darling of the left and the media.”
But as Israeli journalist Amit Segal (of Channel 2 and Makor Rishon) tweeted, the quote, in fact, derives from an anonymous talkback to an article in Rotter, an Israeli news site, which mentions both Alsheikh and Shaked in the context of investigations of Netanyahu.
That Haaretz was compelled to correct a fake quote in a news analysis, which ironically dismissed complaints about “fake news” as a deplorable political ploy, is reminiscent of a recent New York Times correction later dubbed “the correction of the year.”
Haaretz deleted the fake quote from its digital article, but, contrary to standard journalistic practice, did not alert readers to the change.
More from SNAPSHOTS
Where’s the Coverage? Israel Offered to Help Iranian and Iraqi Earthquake Victims
November 17, 2017
An Israeli offer to assist Iranian and Iraqi earthquake victims was “immediately rebutted” by Baghdad and Tehran—and widely ignored by major U.S. news outlets. As The Times of Israel reported on Nov. 14, 2017, Israeli [...]
Tucker Carlson Allows Max Blumenthal’s Anti-Israel Comments to Slide
November 16, 2017
This past Tuesday, on his Fox News television show Tucker Carlson Tonight, host Tucker Carlson interviewed Max Blumenthal about the Russian government-funded cable network RT and the Trump administration’s attempt to have that station register [...]
Anti-Israel NGO Admits: Palestinian Children Commit Terror for ‘Status’
November 14, 2017
A PFLP operative The program director for Defence for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P), a Palestinian NGO, admitted in an interview that Palestinian minors commit terror attacks to enhance their societal status. The admission contradicts DCI-P’s propaganda, [...]
Palestinian Authority Admits to Supporting BDS—Violating Oslo
October 27, 2017
PA President Mahmoud Abbas A top Palestinian Authority (PA) official has acknowledged that the authority supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS unfairly maligns the Jewish state and denies its existence any legitimacy. [...]