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| False PA News Reports Try to Shape Public Opinion on Shalit, IDF |
| 2009-03-26 |
| (IsraelNN.com) False reports in PA news sources informed its public that the IDF attacked in Gaza and that Israel has resumed talks on freeing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert categorically stated last week that the government has made its "final offer' to Hamas and that the ball is in the PA's court on talks on freeing the soldier. Hamas, under pressure from families of terrorists assuming they would be freed last week, quickly responded to Olmert with statements that the negotiating door was not closed. It published similar comments for two or three days, but the Israeli media and public, emotionally wiped out from a campaign promoting proposals to free murderers, was not moved. After months of rumors that the government was proposing to free hundreds of murderers and other terrorists, the security establishment told the Cabinet that releasing them would raise the probability for far more kidnappings and murders. Hamas placed more bait on the hook Tuesday through the Palestinian Sama News Agency, which reported that Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Yuval Diskin and senior government negotiator Ofer Dekel are planning to return to Cairo for a renewal of talks with Hamas, to be mediated by Egypt. It also claimed that Prime Minister Olmert "showed flexibility towards achieving a prisoner-swap deal." His office denied the report, and most of the Israeli media, which was roundly criticized for having fanned hopes for the Shalit family, ignored it or barely mentioned it. Other PA news agencies continue to allege that the IDF is conducting counterterrorist operations in Gaza. The Bethlehem-based Maan news agency, quoting "an eyewitness," reported Monday morning that "Israeli gunships" shelled a coastal area next to the ruins of the Neve Dekalim community in south-central Gaza. Maan also claimed that Hamas forces confronted Israeli ground troops who allegedly invaded Gaza. IDF spokesmen said that no operations were carried out in Gaza and noted that although false reports have been issued by PA news agencies in the past, this week's claim "was on a scale not seen for a long time." A Maan editorial worker told Israel National News that it relied on its eyewitness, who phoned in the report, and that the IDF said it could publish the claim on condition that it included the military denial. |
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| #1 A very useful article. I wonder who posted it. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-03-26 06:56 |