MSNBC claims to have searched over 1 million images to pick a list of the 20 most striking of 2001. The image as it appeared on their website is reproduced here as an example of something newsworthy in itself...
While 16 people were murdered (while eating pizza), and over 130 others injured in the Sbarro blast, this particular image was deemed to capture the essence of the conflict more than any other scene from the attrocity itself, or indeed from many similar attrocities during the year. What factors are at work here?
We see here another media diversion that concentrates on the trivial in the wake of a spectacular criminal act. Members of the Hebron Jewish community are victims of daily Palestinian sniper fire, and yet the mischief of two children are presented, presumably in a symbolic way, as being the cause of the conflict.
The American equivalent would be choosing an image of an American youth vandalising a mosque, as an image of the United States on September 11. This undoubtably occured - however it was hardly a representative reaction of the American people under such extreme provocation. Quite rightly, such an attempt by an editor would be viewed in a very poor light by their readership. Unfortunately, when Israel is the topic editors feel no such restraint.
The picture attempts to justify the actions of the restaurant's bombers. MSNBC editors are simply not interested in the Jewish victims, but rather display an open sympathy with some of the most banal forms of human behavior in the world today. These thoughts are neither progressive, nor visionary, nor true. It does not reflect the fundamental drivers of the whole wave of violence they are tasked with uncovering. It is against the professional standards of conduct journalists define for themselves. It certainly will not lead to a solution to the conflict. It contributes to the continuation of the tactics employed by the Palestinian leadership. MSNBC journalists here are providing moral cover for the actions of suicide bombers - no less.
Note: This is in no way an excuse for the behaviour of these kids. To tolerate that would be to lose the moral clarity between the Jewish and Palestinian positions in the conflict. However, the context of their act should certainly be taken into account when judging their behaviour.
