Gaza on YouTube: Film at 11!

If you want to see the action in Gaza, the good news is you don't have to be a foreign correspondent. Actually, Israel has nixed reporters from entering the country for now because they don't want them getting in the way or information getting out. Or for journalists to get the wrong message.

Something like that.

As Daniel Seaman, director of Israel's government press office told the New York Times, "Any journalist who enters Gaza becomes a fig leaf and front for the Hamas terror organization, and I see no reason why we should help that." (At least they're open about this, I guess.) So even if you were Christiane Amanpour or Richard Engel you'd be camping out on the border in khakis.

In the meantime, in lieu of actual reporting, the Israeli government has come up with a really cool viral substitute to show everyone the war. As the New York Times reported, all you have to do is log on to the Israel Defense Forces' YouTube Channel and you can see images of Israel pummeling Gaza, read grim-faced soldiers' blogs, and sit in on "the first ever" Twitter press conference with a government official.

It's just like being there, right? Nothing like reducing the hostilities to a tweet.

Still I'd like to suggest a few tweets, I mean tweaks. Although the images of artillery shells hitting Hamas targets were neat, they were a bit vague. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what I was watching. A tunnel being bombed? A truckload of rocket-firing militants? A school? Sure, there were descriptions ("Israeli Air Force Strikes rockets in transit") with arrows pointing helpfully to the designated target. But, really, I could have been watching World War II footage of the Allies in Africa, or any other war footage of explosions and grainy black and white images. I could have been watching anything, but was it true? It would help to have an authoritative narrator, someone along the lines of the late Peter Jennings, explaining things.

But here's the real P.R. problem. I don't think the website helps you understand the war better. Or Israel's perspective. After all, Hamas fired their rockets into southern Israel first and with little international outcry. Maybe it would be good to emphasize that message? Or that the militant group doesn't believe in Israel's right to exist? That seems important.

Despite the novelty of being able to see real live soldiers in camouflage, I felt like I was viewing that creepy scene from "Silence of the Lambs" where Jodi Foster is tip-toeing through the serial killer's home while he watches her through the icky green glare of a night scope. Every time the Israelis launched a missile against Hamas, I didn't jump out of my seat and cheer. I winced.

It also doesn't help when you hit innocent civilians who can't seem to escape the real gunfire and shells. That happened yesterday when some 40 people were killed trying to hide in a United Nations school in northern Gaza. Some of those killed were children. The Israelis say that Hamas was using the facility to fire mortars at them.

Let's hope for a truce. But let's also send in some real reporters.

Comments

[papapj]

From the mouth of a British Jewish parliamentary representative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGuYjt6CP8&NR=1

[InofTouch]

propaganda on youtube, who knew

[Michale32086]

@vinny

}}}}}
(A) What about the blockade violating international law? Remember Israel citing the Egyptian blockade as casus belli before the Six Day War? Hmmm.
}}}}}}

You are comparing apples and alligators... Israel chooses to blockade it's own border with Gaza.. It is completely their choice to do so. Just as Egypt is allowed to blockade IT'S border with Gaza..

Using your reasoning, if there was a virulent plague loose in northern Mexico, YOU are claiming that the US cannot blockade the US/Mexico border..

That's rubbish...

}}}}
(B) What about the Nov 4 incursion violating the June cease fire agreement?
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That's been proven where an Israeli strike team intercepted Hamas terrorists in tunnels on the northern Gaza border. The Israelis had Class A intel that HAMAS was going to attempt to kidnap Israeli soldiers a'la Cpl Schalit.. I know you don't care about Israelis, but Cpl Schalit is STILL a kidnap victim...

The Strike Team killed the would-be kidnappers..

A righteous shoot in ANY jurisdiction...

}}}}
(C) What about Israel/US sending millions of dollars, armor, rockets, and grenades to support Fateh's paramilitary activity against a democratically elected government? ON FACTS, YOU WILL LOSE.
{{{{{

Actually, Fatah and President Abbas are the true authority for the Palestinians.. Hamas tried to usurp the authority of the legal President of the Palestinians and they were shut down..

These are the facts...

Michale.....

[ltfday1]

Check out some real reporting from Al Jazeera. They are the only organization with journalists on the ground in Gaza...granted they are trapped there like everyone else, but they are getting out what they can

[larry278]

Some Muslim & sites which give the Palestinian view use Al Jazeera live feeds. Muslim & pro-Palestinian sites are getting reports of the Gaza Strip despite Israeli limits on where reporters may go in the Gaza Strip & stringent censorship. HAARETZ, a site & paper in Israel, is critical of IDF attacks & reports many of the problems those who lize in the Gaza Strip face due to IDF actions. HAARETZ also questions Israeli & IDF aims in stories & editorials. The IDF doesn't have a complete monoply on TV & photo reporting from the Gaza Strip. You can get both the IDF & Muslim points of view from the Gaza Strip. It's on the web; use your favorite search engine to find Muslim views & reports from the Gaza Strip. Palestinians & others inside the Gaza Strip are getting their views out to the world. Al Jazeera, Muslim sites & other independent sites, reporters, video-graphers & photographers are getting their reports from inside the Gaza Strip out to the world. Many residents of the Gaza Strip are more than articulate.
Israel may prevent reporters from the outside from entering the Gaza Strip but those inside the Gaza Strip are getting their views out to the world. Determined reporters are working despite Israeli attacks. 21st century technology aids them but don't forget that they are in life threatening peril.

[booboo111]

Al Jazeera; real reporting = oxymoron

[terry52]

English Al kazeera

[Chilly TX1]

umm better check your source on Al Jazeera. Did you know that all it takes to change the news, is for a religous leader to call the "news" station and they will either change it or take it off the air. Is that a "news" station or a propaganda machine? Or more like an Opra episode? Not a "news" source.
I think a good way to check the reporting from Al Jezeera is to watch perhaps on the other side of reporting, maybe Fox News. Then compare.
Arabs and Muslims will report that the poor nice people (Hamas) just want peace, and that is why Hamas is firing random missles into cites and blowing themselves up in public places (using kids). While Fox would report another Arab and or Muslim terroism strike.
I guess you have to be on one side or the other.

[msfisk777]

1/7/09
6:40pm
Indianapolis

I don't pretend to be an expert on the problems in Gaza but I did try to put myself in the position of the people of Gaza when it was election time and concluded that Hamas would win. It seemed illogical but also inevitable.
Can you imagine what kind of pressure was put on the Gazans to vote for Hamas? Hamas is an organization of murderers. I have researched their activites and that is the only conclusion to be reached. If Hamas murderers find out that you (a Gazan) did not vote for them, what will happen to you?
As for the current situation, it seems to me that Hamas has volunteered all of Gaza to commit suicide by provoking Israel to attack and firing weapons at Israel from schools and residential areas.
If the United Nations had been able to step in and force Hamas to stop firing the rockets, this could have been avoided. Did the UN try to force Hamas to stop firing on Israel?
Hamas is hoping that the Israeli attacks will bring other Arab nations to their rescue and actually result in the destruction of Israel.
Well, what is the UN doing to stop this?

[Michale32086]

Well said....

The UN???

I'll go with Robin Williams on the UN...

"The best thing for the UN to do is go Condo..."

Michale.....

[coreyishere]

Hamas put pressure on Gazans to vote for them? You might want to read up on how the Palestinian elections of 2006 actually progressed. Here is a link to a report on the 2006 elections from the EU Observers, for example. I suggest reading it in its entirety (you might also want to do a word search on "Hamas" and then do one for "Fatah" on the document, and see what you come up with):

http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/westbank/legislative/statement_260106.pdf

[USAFree1]

Governments learned a big lesson from Hurricane Katrina; don't let the media in. The devestation from Hurricane Gustav was never shown except by a few off the wall sites. The last thing a government wants if for folks like us to see the truth. As the saying goes, "One picture is worth a thousand words."

[kimleehan]

Israel is now doing commercials on msnbc, trying to get support for there invasion of Gaza. I think their worried that the popular opinion is turning against them. I was shocked to see Israel trying to promote a war, and it was during countdown to boot. I could believe it on fox news but msnbc.

[1099]

"I could believe it on fox news but msnbc."

MSNBC decides to whom they sell advertising space.

[Dameocrat]

Yeah but the cool thing about youtube is that you can also get an opposing view to Israel. This is completely unlike the mainstream media which doesn't do hardly any real reporting on Israel anyway.

[ccoppe]

The author should take more time viewing the videos as I did. Perspective comes with familiarity.

Also interesting among the videos are those showing attacks launched from civilian locations (between homes, on apartment rooftops). The Hamas personnel were neutralized immediately upon launching their attack. The IDF response is in real-time. That means the Israelis have up-to-the-moment intelligence. And it also means the IDF has significant assistance among the citizens of Gaza providing extremely accurate 411 on the location of Hamas weapons and personnel. Don't try to accuse Fatah of active collaboration. They are either dead, disabled through shootings, or under house arrest (per Al Jazeera).

Oops! I think Hamas has a big problem -- perhaps the ruled are finally tiring of their extremist, nihilistic rulers.

[paulcanning]

Try Al Jazeera English
http://uk.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish

They have reporters in Gaza and are reporting from Israel as well.

[kimleehan]

Thanks for the info, I just googled aljazeera english, and it brought me were I wanted to be and now I added it to my favorits....Thanks

[genofear]

AND, contrary to reporting on CNN (twice), Al Jazeera reporters on the ground are calm and matter of fact in their reporting.

It was bizarre to me that CNN specifically pointed out (again...in two separate reports) how these reporters are very emotional while reporting and are encouraged to be that way by their networks. BTW....they appear calm on the Arabic Al Jazeera as well. I've seen alot of coverage from both.

[nt1992]

You state that Hamas does not recognize Israel. Why should Hamas recognize the democratically elected Israeli govt. when Israel does not recognize the democratically elected govt. of Palestine, which is Hamas. Agree with above comment, do your homework, report the truth, it was Israel who broke the truce, and Hamas responded by rocket fire. Get your facts right or write on a subject that you know better.

[ProudMormon]

Israels is all for mutual recognition. The same can't be said for Hamas.

[Hank007]

No, they're not. Listen to the Israelis themselves.

[cordillera]

That is simply not true. A major military leader in Israel called the Palestinian people "a cancer." Israel does not and has never recognized Hamas.

[Juboi]

Facts straight? How about this one, Israel pulled out of Gaza and forced those who did not want to leave, that was called land for peace, so Palestinians got land, but Israel got no peace. Rockets started flying out of Gaza routinely with the excuse being that Hamas is fighting the "oppressors". The only problem is that Israel pulled out of Gaza, so where was the oppression? If we all lobbed rockets at someone every time we were unhappy about something, the world would no longer exist. Hamas needs to think about the welfare of its people, who voted them in to power in order to improve life in Gaza. They've done nothing to help the people of Gaza, unless sending them to heaven is considered to be helpful. Hamas created this situation and now the people of Gaza are paying for it. I hope Israel continues its operation in Gaza until Hamas can no longer shoot a single rocket or mortar in to Israel. How's that for facts?

[vinny]

PERFECT EXAMPLE of SELECTIVE MEMORY. Let's fill in a few gaping holes in your story: (A) What about the blockade violating international law? Remember Israel citing the Egyptian blockade as casus belli before the Six Day War? Hmmm. (B) What about the Nov 4 incursion violating the June cease fire agreement? (C) What about Israel/US sending millions of dollars, armor, rockets, and grenades to support Fateh's paramilitary activity against a democratically elected government? ON FACTS, YOU WILL LOSE.

[gageeandbaba]

Or Israel fired into Gaza first killing 6 like Rich Sanchez reported yesterday. Or Israel starved the people of Gaza first. OR Israel built ILLEGAL settlements first. Don't lie.

[KWangnoo]

Amen.

[gdogs]

If Hamas would stop trying to smuggle weapons into Gaza, they wouldn't have to worry about blockades. Why I am I suprised that there are sooo many uniformed and unrealistic people blogging here? Oh well, Israel is going to finish the job this time. Have fun rebuilding Gaza, oh wait, the people in Gaza just leave rubble the way it is. Maybe if they took a little more pride in the land they have, they wouldn't be so hungry for more.

[Hank007]

Wow. Zionist much?