Complaining to The Independent

Following the last two of my posts I have decided to complain to The Independent, I wonder if they will be any quicker at responding than the BBC and whether they will be any more apologetic?

'to		m.king@independent.co.uk
date		23 March 2011 18:00
subject		Your article today entitled 'Jerusalem rocked by deadly bomb blast'
mailed-by		googlemail.com

This is a complaint, if I have sent ot to the wrong address please forward it to the correct person or persons.


Your article at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/jerusalem-rocked-by-bomb-blast-2250627.html uses terminology that I find disturbing and bias that is at best offensive and at worse dangerous.

Here are a few examples:
1) 'Police said it was a "terrorist attack" - Israel's term for a Palestinian strike.'

So Israel's term for blowing up a bus in the capital of Israel so killing and maiming innocent civilians is "terrorist attack" but The Independent prefer 'Palestinian strike'. Why? What would constitute a "terrorist attack" on Israel?


2) 'Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad swiftly denounced the attack. "I condemn this terrorist operation in the strongest possible terms, regardless of who was behind it," he said in a statement released by his office in the West Bank.'

Not a word from Hamas then? Is that not worthy of comment as Hamas are supposedly on of Israel's 'partners in peace'?


4) 'Peace talks aimed at ending the decades-old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians broke down last year after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a partial freeze on Jewish settlement building in the West Bank.'

Really were talks progressing during the freeze? Have the Palestinian side carried out all of their obligations for talks to take place? Have Hamas recognised the right of Israel to exist? Why is the breakdown of talks solely Israel's fault?


5) 'Israeli security officials have cautioned that the absence of any peace initiative could spark a new Palestinian uprising. Over 500 Israeli civilians died in 140 Palestinian suicide bomb attacks from 2000 to 2007. More than 4,500 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the same period.'

So 500 Israeli civilians were killed and more that 4,500 Palestinians; how many of the Palestinians killed were 'terrorists' or 'fighters' or 'militants' and how many actual civilians?


6) 'Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister warned Hamas over rising violence in Gaza following a barrage of rockets and mortar fire in recent days. Hamas say the attacks were in response to Israeli bombings and killings.'

What about the murder of the Fogel family, is that not to be mentioned?


7) 'On Tuesday, Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed four Palestinian civilians, including three children playing football, and five militants, medical officials said.'

Why were the 'militants'/terrorists in such close proximity to the 'civilians'? Any interest in this at The Independent or just acceptance of whatever line your Palestinian contacts give you?


8) 'Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in a 2007 coup, had mostly held fire since.'

I suppose the key word there is 'mostly'. How many rockets have been fired at Israel since 2007? How many attempted attacks on Israel have been foiled? What about the murder of the Fogel family; do the lives of sleeping Israeli children not count but those of football playing Palestinian children do?


Your comments on this matter, and preferably an apology, would be appreciated.

Regards

NotaSheep MaybeaGoat'