Sunday CTV Late Night News On Par With CBC’s Unfair Reporting On Israel.

I watched CTV National Late Night News this past Sunday, December 22, 2002. One of the stories they were covering dealt with the psychological trauma being suffered by some Israeli soldiers.

The opening of the piece more than suggested that this was a rampant situation where Israeli soldiers were deserting, and or were refusing to serve in the Palestinian Territories en masse.

To emphasize the malaise, visuals were shown of Israeli troops in horrific situations interspersed with bloodied Palestinian children being treated in a hospital, or carried on the streets.

The story focused on the bleeding of Palestinians, especially children, and on the great remorse of Israeli soldiers who could no longer cope with the Israeli “occupation” of Palestinian Territories.

Hence: the story delivered, gave the impression that this was an Israel-wide movement of distressed soldiers who were determined NOT to serve. But ABSOLUTELY no proof of this was delivered.

And if the CTV television viewer was to stand back somewhat, and think about the report that Israeli soldiers are being scarred emotionally, and that there is a movement of some stature, even within the military to end Israel’s “occupation”, what’s wrong with that?

Every democratic nation has its dissenters. That’s what democracy is all about. The right to dissent. Even the right to refuse to serve in the military as a conscientious objector.

No nation can legitimately be measured by its selective opposition within. Otherwise for example: countries where selective opposition stands for racism would be tarred by its minority. And that would include Canada, the USA, the UK, France and every other democracy on this planet.

Like so much of the other international reporting on the conflict in Israel, this one was also one sided, slanted and dishonest. True; Palestinian children are being injured and killed during this crisis. Mostly by Israeli bullets and shells, but ALWAYS by Palestinian fueled hatred.

Of the Palestinians interviewed, children mostly; they spoke of becoming martyrs (murderers of Jews) when they grow up. The background was of destruction, debris and filth. One shot had what seemed to be a dozen or more children chasing after the rear end of an Israeli tank.

Then the cameras also visited Jewish kids who were brightly dressed. In one shot, they played sports as kids do. And in another, they sat in a classroom setting, and spoke of becoming doctors. Quite a contrast.

Yes, the Israelis are occupying most of the Palestinian Territories. But the Palestinians are murdering Jews on as regular a basis as they possibly can. They teach their children to HATE Jews, and encourage them to grow up to MURDER Jews and become martyrs as suicide bombers.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A SUICIDE BOMBER!

It always aggravates me, how such “intelligent” news services keep ignoring the imbued hatred of Jews which the Palestinians pass on to their children and to each other. Why can’t the news media of the world connect the dots? STOP murdering Jews, and the Jews will stop occupying the Palestinian Territories.

While I was in Israel, I saw many troops. I also visited Palestinian villages. Make no mistake about this: If the Israelis could leave the Territories and the Palestinian people tomorrow: that won’t be TOO soon for most of the Israelis.

They want no part of the Palestinians or their Territories, with the exception of the settlers who would be made to leave their settlements at the speed of light, if it meant an honest and lasting peace. Ariel Sharon already proved this when he personally oversaw the eviction of Jewish settlers in the Sinai, in accordance with the Israeli/Egyptian peace agreement.

There is no question whatsoever, that many Israeli soldiers are suffering from war fatigue and war related psychological trauma. But all Israelis are suffering. And what’s abnormal about this? Not to suffer emotionally from war would be the aberration.

Canadian troops, who from time to time see a “minuscule” amount of action, from where they’re on the offensive end of the battle, and always part of a world military body, very often receive psychological counseling when they come home. Civilized people can not live with the horrors of war, and not be adversely affected.

And that is as true for the Israelis as it is for the Canadians; with this exception: For Canadian troops, warfare comes in very measured doses. For the Israelis, it is day in and day out. 24 hours per day without rest. And the war against Israel isn’t half way around the world as it is for Canadians who serve in foreign lands.

Israel’s war is in its restaurants, at its bus stops, schools, shopping plazas and bed rooms. No one in Israel is safe from being a casualty of war. ESPECIALLY CIVILIANS.

Canadian soldiers are ALWAYS fighting someone else’s war; usually as peace keepers. But Israelis are fighting their own war for their very survival. One lapse and its all over.

Therefore; for the CTV to have produced this article intimating that EVEN the Israeli soldiers are against Israel’s policy of self protection by deserting and refusing to serve is dishonest at worst, and very shoddy reporting at best.

I OPT FOR DISHONEST. In the opening graphics of the story, there was a manipulated image of an Israeli soldier in an attacking position. And upon his right arm was an armband with a PROMINENT Star of David. Much like the Nazis, who wore their Swastikas on their arms.

Israeli troops do not wear Star of David arm bands. I know, I was there. This was a perverted creation designed to portray something that isn’t. This graphic, tied to the CTV audio and visual report, told a very slanted and dishonest story. And it gave the impression that the Israelis were Nazis.

Much of our Canadian media should hide its collective face in shame.