Tuesday, September 6, 2011

What News Service Do You Read?

Here is a comparison of the way in which CNN and the BBC treated Turkey’s recall of its Ambassador to Israel over Israel’s refusal to apologize for killing nine Turkish citizens in a raid on a boat trying to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid last year.

Not until the seventh paragraph of the story did CNN state what the issue was. It cites the insult to Israel in the first paragraph, then emphasizes Israel’s positive attitude:

“Turkey's fiery (sic) prime minister ratcheted up rapidly-escalating tensions with Israel on Tuesday, comparing Ankara's once-close middle eastern ally to a "spoiled boy" and announcing additional sanctions would soon be imposed.”

....

“Multiple Israeli sources said they are doing what they can to be responsible and reverse the negative dynamic. Some Israeli officials believe the current troubles between the two countries are minor bumps that can be smoothed out with time and the proper diplomacy.”

Others believe the deteriorating relationship has little to do with Israel and more to do with a reorientation of Turkish foreign policy towards the Muslim world.

A possible Erdogan trip to Gaza is contributing to that school of thought. Diplomats in Cairo and Ankara tell CNN that Erdogan is tentatively scheduled to visit Cairo next week. There is growing speculation in local media that the Turkish prime minister may try to visit Gaza via Egypt's Rafah border crossing."

......

"Despite deteriorating political relations between Jerusalem and Ankara, trade has grown substantially between the two countries over the last year, according to Turkish government statistics."

The BBC gets right to the heart of the matter:

“Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador on 2 September and also suspended military co-operation with Israel last week.

The move follows the expulsion of Israel's ambassador over its refusal to apologize for the 2010 raid on a flotilla of activists heading for Gaza, in which nine Turks were killed.

A UN report has concluded that Israel used 'excessive force' in its raid, but that the naval blockade was legal.

Turkey has vowed to take the case to the International Court of Justice.  Based in The Hague, the ICJ is a permanent UN court set up to rule on state-to-state disputes."

.....

"Israel has expressed regret for the loss of lives. But Mr Erdogan described the raid as "savagery" and accused Israel of acting like 'a spoiled boy' in the region.”

In an update of the story, read at 11.30 eastern time, the BBC elaborated on the court’s findings, concluding with: “The report noted ‘forensic evidence showing that most of the deceased were shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range’".

At that time, CNN had not added anything to its story.

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