Terrorists endanger journalists

By Ed Lasky

Too many journalists play an important role in effect providing cover for terror: justifying its use, ignoring its victims, portraying Israeli self-defense against terror attacks as offensive in nature-and not defensive, promoting terrorists' views, and sending fauxtography around for public relations purposes, for example.

Now we have a report that terrorists in the Gaza Strip have used in a terror attack a truck outfitted to appear as a "TV" vehicle. This will further endanger the lives and hinder the work of journalists, as security forces will look askance at vehicles or people identifying themselves as journalists. In the twisted logic of Middle East journalism, this will play to the strategy of terrorists. At a minimum, this means more intrusive inspections for journalists, more delays, and more occasions to e angry at Israeli or American or Iraqi security forces.

If Americans or Israelis fire upon people they have reasons to suspect are not journalists, and the people do happen to be journalists, can one imagine the outcry. On the other hand, if such faux-journalists are terrorists and their ruse works, the terrorists win. They win either way. Unless, journalists condemn in the strongest words possible (by editorials or by articles pointing out the "evil that men (and women) do" these types of tactics endanger not only innocent civilians but journalists themselves.

Will this be a wake-up call to journalists that they are being used in more ways than one?

Will they drop the clearly biased coverage in favor of terrorists? Do not hold your breath.