(International Herald Tribune) Daoud Kuttab - Something strange happened last week: Israeli settlers appeared human on Arab TV. This is not to say that Arabs have suddenly become soft on their historical enemies. But hours and hours of watching - on all stations, including Al-Jazeera - close-ups of mothers and babies, of young women and older men, visibly in anguish as they were forced out of their homes, had an emotional effect. For the most part, the language on the broadcasts has been accurate and straightforward. Even the largest Palestinian newspaper, Al Quds, carried an editorial on Thursday about the effects of the images of settlers crying and Israeli soldiers embracing them. The dramatic scenes from Gaza should lead us all to double our efforts to ensure that Palestinians can be free in an independent state, alongside a safe and secure Israel. The writer is director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al-Quds University in Ramallah.
2005-08-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive