Terrorist or Journalist?

To the Editor:

David Carr raises serious questions about the definition of journalism in today’s world (“Using War as Cover to Target Journalists,” The Media Equation column, Nov. 26), but he wrongly depicts Al-Quds Educational Radio and Al-Aqsa TV as legitimate media outlets. They are intricately linked with Islamic Jihad and Hamas and have encouraged and lauded acts of terror against Israeli civilians for the past decade.

The real question raised by Mr. Carr’s column is whether a station that is ideologically motivated and subsidized by a terrorist organization deserves the same treatment as CNN or The New York Times. Moreover, should a Hamas commander who painted the words “TV” on his car be considered a journalist?

Mr. Carr is quick to incriminate the Israel Defense Forces for targeting journalists, but he does not mention that terrorists are actively exploiting journalists as shields.

Mr. Carr is worried about freedom of the press and rightly so. However, when terrorist organizations exploit reporters, either by posing as them or by hiding behind them, they are the immediate threat to freedom of the press.

Such terrorists, who hold cameras and notebooks in their hands, are no different from their colleagues who fire rockets aimed at Israeli cities and cannot enjoy the rights and protection afforded to legitimate journalists.

(Lt. Col.)

AVITAL LEIBOVICH
Jerusalem, Nov. 27, 2012

The writer is head spokeswoman to foreign media for the Israel Defense Forces.