Did I say “own up to”? I meant “blame Israel for“:
A number of journalists claimed during a convention in Jerusalem Monday evening that Israel and the IDF were mostly to blame for the way the foreign media covered the Lebanon war.
The panel of journalists, largely from the international media, convened to discuss their coverage of the war, at a conference arranged by the Media Line agency’s Mideast Press Club.
“Journalists’ access to the battlefield is controlled exclusively by the IDF,” said Simon McGregor-Wood, Chairman of the Foreign Press Association, and Bureau Chief of ABC News.
“We are very disappointed that the IDF didn’t give us more opportunities,” he added.
You really must read the whole thing to appreciate the mindset of the people like the NYT’s Steven Erlanger and the AP’s Ravi Nessman who reported on this war for U.S. newspapers. I’ll give you a hint, though: The word “proportionality” comes up a lot. (h/t Soccer Dad.)