AP Reaffirms Palestine Policy

We have visited this story before, under the title "Barriers to Understanding", touching briefly on the failure of the Associated Press to provide video its photographers had taken of the murder (no other word for it) of a 13-year-old Palestinian boy by an Israeli soldier.

What do the AP do with the video instead ? Erased it, of course.

Why are we revisiting this particular milemarker on the endless freeway of outrage that connects Israel and Palestine ? Because a more established publication has taken up the story and expanded on it. Counterpunch, in the person of the tireless Allison Weir, pursued AP for a response to her questions about how this erasure came to be.

You will, if you are young and innocent, be surprised at the final response of the ancient and respected news organization, issued during "Sunshine Week" which was dedicated to press accountability and while it's CEO was out stumping for "transparency".

After weeks of evasions, refusals, misdirections and general avoidance and obfuscation, the AP spoke:

Q: Why did you erase the video of the shooting ?

A: "The official response is we decline to respond." Unofficial translation: "Screw You".

Details and contact info for AP in Allison's story. You are AP's customers. You are entitled to a response.

Be sad, feel anger and

Stay Naked
jd