Do You Believe?

I am currently taking a world issues class with Mr. Robertson this semester. One could argue that we haven't really done much in the way of work in the class; up until recently, we have been discussing the concept of critical thinking and how the way media presents a topic or global issue can alter worldwide perspectives. In other words, we've spent the class thinking and talking about thinking.

Our first major assignment was to put together a BIAS package, in which partners chose a general world issue and expressed opposing viewpoints to audiences through articles, a point/counter-point excerpt as well as a poster advertisement. My partner and I addressed the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict centered around the settlement area known as the Gaza Strip. Below is the article I wrote from the perspective of Israel; in it, I experimented with terminology, wording, and manipulating words and quotes to get my opinion across through media.

*NOTE: I did not fabricate any quote or fact in this piece. I simply refrained from telling the entire truth - a tactic practiced by large portions of the media. By using these techniques, we as students will become more adept at recognizing them.

Hamas launches dubbed ‘crimes against humanity’

Jihad-bound Palestinians do not dispute international community’s allegations of committing war crimes

DIANA HALL

Reporter

Since failing to reinstate a six-month-old cease-fire agreement on December 19^th 2008, Palestinian militants have taken to directing powerful rockets into densely populated residential areas of Israel.

U.N investigators involved in a recent Gaza fact-finding mission concluded in a 575-page report that Hamas combatants have committed crimes against humanity in Israel’s name. These strategic attacks upon Israeli civilians – increasing exponentially in number – are the causes of growing terror, destroyed property, physical and mental injury as well as loss of life in the war-torn region.

Israeli spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich calls for the Palestinian terrorists to take responsibility for their war crimes.

“If Hamas chose cynically to use those civilians as human shields, then Hamas should be accountable,” she says.

Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that Hamas militants situate themselves to attack from their own areas of high population within Gaza –both and at the same time provoking an Israeli retaliation with a violent motive and endangering the Palestinian people.

However, in their mission to eliminate Israel and declare Palestine an independent nation, Hamas have not attempted to convict or investigate any soldier or militant group on the grounds of criminal justice. In fact, leaders are reported to have encouraged such vile attacks, stating their self-defensive actions to be “a right sacred under international law.”

Palestinian aggression is fueled by their refusal to recognize Israel’s existence as a nation, leaving peace negotiations at a stand-still; a one-state solution would be impossible to establish with Hamas intolerance, while a two-state solution could very well place Israelis at future risk of ‘ethnic cleansing’ at the hands of Palestinians. Israel's only hope for peace may lie with the Palestine Authority (PA) and Fatah, political powers too weak to influence the Hamas majority; unless they can convince Hamas to compromise, there will be no backing down and no final peace treaty. A cease-fire would merely elongate this battle for land and recognition. This would only lead to the prolonged suffering of innocent men, women and children on either side of Israel's borders.

**If you want to get a bit of background info on this conflict to see what I didn't tell you search up some information in local newspapers/online at nytimes.com, for example. UN investigator Richard Goldstone's report condemns both parties. i just.. spun it. :)