Fri. 3 Jun. 2011 @ 12.05 - Guardian describes white phosphorous as 'outlawed' when covering accidental harm to Palestinian boys in West Bank; implies boys denied treatment. Today's news article in The Guardian, 'Israel accused after Palestinian boys burned by mystery canister', reports the story of two Palestinian boys from Buweib, south of Hebron, who were allegedly injured after handling a device 'in a scrubland' on 20 February. The standfirst of the story reads: 'Military experts say unidentified devices found in West Bank may have contained outlawed white phosphorus' Thurs. 2 Jun. 2011 @ 14.31 - The Daily Telegraph published today a comment piece on UK-Israel relations by Israel's outgoing ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ron Prosor. 'Israel and Britain are allies in the fight for democratic values' emphasises the values and interests shared by the two countries. Prosor, however, expresses concern about 'deligimisation and demonisation' of Israel in the media, on university campuses, by NGOs and in local and national politics: 'Three years ago, I wrote in The Daily Telegraph that Britain had become a hotbed of anti-Israeli sentiment. That position has deteriorated. Attitudes once considered marginal or extreme have drifted dangerously close to the mainstream.' Fri. 3 Jun. 2011 @ 15.17 - BBC profiles examples of 'security prisoners' in Israeli, Palestinian and Hezbollah jails, including Gilad Shalit, but elides key aspects of his treatment. Today the BBC News website features an in-depth analysis on Gilad Shalit and other Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese 'security prisoners'. 'Gilad Shalit: Who are the Mid-East prisoners?' documents the 'emotive' and 'high profile' issue of prisoners on either side of the Arab-Israeli divide, and details prisoner swaps, kidnappings and other notable incidents from the conflict. When discussing Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, the article explores Israel's justification for their detention: 'Israel says about 70% of its security prisoners have "blood on their hands", or are responsible for lethal attacks on Israelis... These include senior figures from Palestinian militant groups and individuals held responsible for notorious suicide bombings in which dozens of Israelis died.' Fri. 3 Jun. 2011 @ 12.50 - Egyptian government approves draft legislation that would quash long-standing policy of discrimination against Christian places of worship. The Egyptian government has approved a draft law that could end the decades-long practice of discrimination against Christians seeking to build or renovate their churches. The Egyptian daily Al Masry Al Youm reported that on Wednesday the interim government: '... approved a unified law on the construction of places of worship. Under the law, governors will be authorized to license the building, demolishing, replacing, restoring, or modifying of places of worship, as well as associated expansions or repairs, so long as they follow certain conditions.'
June 3, 2011 The Wire Guardian misrepresents legal position on phosphorus, implies boys denied treatment
The Wire Israeli ambassador writes in Telegraph on UK-Israel relations
BBC Focus BBC highlights Gilad Shalit and other ME prisoners
The Wire Christians in the ME: Egypt set to repeal discriminatory church law
Friday, 3 June 2011
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