Conference taveng::bagels

    < Note 106.0 by ELWOOD::SIMON >
                            -< Mass media and Jews >-

   "It is not the first show of this kind on Public TV.  There was another
    one about Russian Jews in New York, where the producer chose the
    worst possible sample for her interviews, so that after the show
    many people asked me if such people could be for real.  There were
    other one-sided anti-Zionist films there within last few years.
    Is it a general tendency in American mass media or am I biased?"
    
    
    
    Leo, as you watch more and more public TV you will probably realize
    that much of what is presented as "news" is really editorial. Public
    TV was set up as an alternative to the established commercial networks
    and as such always presents an opposing view. This is one of the
    reasons why the Reagen administration is drastically cutting the
    Public Broadcasting Service's (PBS) budget this year.
    
    I honestly believe that if the US shifted it's policy and cut off
    all support for Israel PBS would run a program on how we are turning
    our backs on our allies.
    
    				Fred
    

    Yes Leo, there is a slight anti-zionist tendency in the American
    (and other country's)media.  Until 1967 Israel could do no wrong
    in the eyes of the media, we were the idealistic pioneers making
    the desert bloom, etc. 
    
    After the six-day war there began a slow turn towards anti-zionism
    as the image of Israel changed to a state that was more assertive
    in it's sovereignty.  I really think that there is an underlying
    reason for all of this, and that is that present-day Israel does
    not conform to the world's image of Jews, i.e., expected to "take
    it, but not dish it back out in return".
    
    The more dangerous characteristic of the media, in my opinion, is
    the subtle linkage made to South Africa.  Many facts of the struggle
    of the blacks in So. Africa are paralled to the Palestinians, the
    Afrikaners are likened to Israelis re: they were "pioneers" who've
    taken advantage of the local population, etc.  As far as I am concerned
    there are 0 analogies between the South African experience and Israel.
    While South Africa is discredited (and rightly so)in the world's
    eyes, a subtle link to Israel also could tend to same.
    
    David

    Most stations around the country and the 3 networks refused to show
    the outdated material (1979 and 1980 )

    Out of fairness (?) to the producers of the show, they did make
    a disclaimer before showing the Arab portion. They did say that
    it was old, produced as a propaganda film by the Arabs, and that
    the Arabs made it for western consumption. They also said that it
    was biased and showed questionable fairness.
    
    Nevertheless, they did show the entire film, I think about 90 minutes
    worth. I simply had to turn it off about mid way through the film.
    I just couldn't watch any more. 
    
    I am sure that peole who turned it on while in progress had no idea
    what it was about or who made it. They simply saw a documentary,
    and many of them would probably believe what they were being exposed
    to was fact, not fiction.

    Jack

    A friend of mine spent a couple weeks in Israel back in late July.  He
    claimed that Syria launched as many as 12 SCUD's at Israel in that time
    he was there and was shocked to find out that the American media didn't
    report a word of it.  
    
    Did this really happen?  If so, can someone recommend a good Jewish
    source for news?
    
    thanks,
    Mike

    >                                 <<< Note 106.5 by OUTSRC::HEISER "watchman on the wall" >>>
    >                                                 -< Syria attacks Israel? >-
    
    Do you mean this last July ? The last time Syria launched anything
    against Israel was AA missiles in 1982 and before that 3 Frog missiles
    in the 1973 war. 12 Scuds would have started a war. Hey, even ONE Scud
    would have started a war. Perhaps you are talking about Katyusha
    Rockets being launched from Lebanon ?

    Yes it was this past month and reportedly from Syria.  If true, the
    whole peace process is a bigger scam than I thought - especially the
    way it's being covered up at all costs.
    
    Mike

Mike,

It sounds like there are three possibilities:

1. All the Internet links, air links, mail services, from Israel are down.

2. The Israeli military censors managed to convince everyone affected by
   these alleged 12 SCUDs of the need to remain absolutely silent.

3. Your source is full of baloney.

I'm leaning heavily towards #3 right now.

Check out http://www.jpost.co.il/ for news.  The Jerusalem Post is a
Likud-oriented paper, so as long as the military censors aren't involved,
they would report any attack.

/john 

Yes John, I will go along with the "baloney" option!

No SCUDS have flown in our direction since Iraq sent them over during the Gulf
War.   If one is fired our way, then I trust that there will be an immediate
and devastating response by our forces.  I do not want to wait for any other
country (even our best friends) to do the necessary.
  
As far as Syria's "peace" intentions are concerned, I would be more convinced
if they put an end to the attacks by Hizballah, etc, from Syrian controlled
Lebanon.  

Shalom
Baruch

    thanks for the clarification!

    Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Takes a Stand
    ------------------------------------------
    "I am surprised that President Clinton, who is known to be a believer
    in G-d and in His Holy Bible, should act against the will of G-d.  This
    is even more puzzling after the President himself confirmed that his
    own pastor had warned him not to harm Israel," said Rabbi Shapira.  The
    rabbi added that if Clinton is rushing to strike a peace deal between
    Israel and the PLO and Syria out of re-election considerations, then he
    must be told that this will have an opposite effect.  "It is highly
    unlikely that G-d will allow someone who supports taking away His
    chosen land from His Chosen People to whom He gave it to keep, to
    remain in a position of power," the former chief rabbi said.
    
    {The Jewish Press, July 28, 1995}