Classic media bias: The choice to deny Hamas a victory is termed an ideologically motivated decision to placate the extreme right

Classic media bias: The choice to deny Hamas a victory is termed an
ideologically motivated decision to placate the extreme right
Dr. Aaron Lerner, 7 February 2024

“At the moment, it seems that Netanyahu is more concerned with the need to
preserve his coalition and its partners from the extreme right, than with
the plight of the abductees. He wraps this, of course, in ideological
reasons. Indeed, it is clear that Hamas will register a great victory if
thousands of Palestinian prisoners are released and Israel commits to a
complete cessation of hostilities, as it demands.”
7.2.24 “Haaretz” Amos Harel – military correspondent and defense analyst

#1. Amos Harel explained himself that “Indeed, it is clear that Hamas will
register a great victory if thousands of Palestinian prisoners are released
and Israel commits to a complete cessation of hostilities, as it demands.”

That is to say, a national leader who rejects the Hamas demands would be
putting the fate of the country over the demands of SOME of the families of
the hostages.

#2. Amos Harel terms the rejection of the deal by Netanyahu:

“concerned with the need to preserve his coalition”

- The coalition members are labeled “extreme right,” while the term
“extreme” is never used to describe members of the Left-wing parties, which
hold views whose distance from the national “middle” is greater than the
distance between the positions of the coalition members and the national
“middle”.

- The explanation that the survival of the country takes priority is termed
an “ideological” stand, as if it is somehow tainted.

Why does this matter?

Labeling a decision as being a matter of “ideology” or “coalition
considerations” signals to the world that the decision is neither
substantive nor final.

It’s a message to the world: Bring Netanyahu replacements for his coalition
so he can remain in power, and the sky’s the limit for concessions.

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IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis

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Arab-Israeli relations

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