The Washington Post article "Trial thrusts Palestinian girl further into spotlight" (2/14/18) should read "Media thrust Palestinian girl further into spotlight."

The Post not only sides with the Palestinians, but projects a pro-Palestinian view and has been doing so for many years.  There are numerous examples of this.  For one, the Post practically ran out of ink declaring that the Arab street would be rioting in every capital in the Middle East after our administration recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  That never happened.  The paper printed article after article each time the two factions of Palestinians – Fatah and Hamas – considered reconciliation.  That never happened.  Now they claim that the prosecution of 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi will ignite protests against Israel's alleged "occupation."  The Post is essentially "hit-less" when it comes to assessing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  In baseball, they would be sent down to the minor leagues.

In this iteration, the Post weaves a case against Israel stating that "the Israeli military is keen to make an example of her."  Their proof?  It's nowhere to be found in the article.  The article further states that the Israelis want to prevent "other young Palestinians from fighting back."  Talk about projection of their own views!  Fighting back?  Who is fighting her?  The Palestinians and Israelis are in a dispute.  And case in point: Did the Israel soldiers fight her?  No.  Israelis naturally defend against Palestinian rock-throwing, Molotov cocktails, and other serious attacks.  The Palestinians (and the Post) shouldn't expect otherwise.

Further, the Post – which clearly disdains Israel –  alleges that Israel is guilty of child abuse!  The evidence?  Palestinian teenagers are held in Israeli detention centers.  On the surface, that sounds horrible – which is the goal of the Post.  But they admit that "many may be detained for serious offenses."

So let's get to the truth of the matter.  Why would then-16-year-old Ahed Tamimi strike two Israeli soldiers?  Might not seem like the brightest thing to do.  It is precisely because she knows that the Israeli soldiers are unlike any other soldiers in the region – that no harm will come to her.  In the rest of the Middle East, authorities may well harm not only the offender, but possibly her entire family.  The Israeli soldiers showed remarkable restraint – they should be commended for it.

Who is really guilty of child abuse – the Israelis or the parents who encourage this behavior in their children?  The article, in its attempt to glorify the Palestinian movement, provides an answer.  Tamimi's father, Bassem, stated that Palestinian "children are an important part of the Palestinian struggle."  No need to look further to find the source of the abuse.

The Palestinians have tried militarily, economically, and politically to defeat Israel, not just to build a state in the West Bank and Gaza, as claimed in their rhetoric before Western audiences.  They have by no means given up, and, in this case, they have pursued the tactic of trying to defeat Israel in the court of public opinion by using children!  More accurately, abusing children...with the Washington Post right there by their side.