Sunday August 6, 2006

I've Been Thinking:

Fadi Jamma was 60 years old. Samira her older daughter was 33. Sultana the younger daughter was 31. They were killed by rocket fire.

Fadi Jamma, Samira and Sultana were Arabs. They were Bedouins. They lived in al Aramish. Al Aramish is in Israel.
This family was destroyed when a Hezbollah rocket landed in their yard.

Almost no international news agency carried their story - Reuters has one citation. Nothing else, no where else.
Why?
Sultana was engaged to be married. Their home was open to Muslims, Christians, Druze and Jews.
Why are the lives and tragic deaths of these three women not newsworthy?

Because it is only interesting when Israel kills innocent people.
Because it is only heart wrenching when Israel kills families.
Because it is only news when Israel is responsible.
Because there is a double standard in the human interest coverage of this war.

Take note - when the dust clears editors and producers should be held accountable for the stories they covered and for the stories they didn't cover.