In our communique last week, we told you about how eager the Canadian media was to pick up a flawed anti-Israel report which accused Israeli soldiers of war crimes in Gaza. The report, from foreign-funded Israeli NGO “Breaking the Silence”, quotes “veteran Israeli soldiers” in order to “demonstrate the depth of corruption which is spreading in the Israeli military”. The accusations in the report are based on unverifiable allegations and run counter to everything we know about the ethical manner in which the Israel Defence Forces conducted their military campaign in Gaza. However, this fact seems to be of little concern to “Breaking the Silence” co-Director Mikhael Manekin, who in answer to an interview question about why the organization does not report their allegations to the authorities responded:
“That is not our position. We view ourselves more as a media agency. The purpose is to generate public discussion around what is happening there (BBC World Service Radio, July 15, 2009)”.
This report is simply the latest effort by Israel’s opponents to demonize the State of Israel in the court of public opinion.
Read today’s National Post editorial: “Gazan Fantasies”
Hear the real voices of IDF soldiers: “Soldiers speak out”
