The English website of Haaretz set new records of vileness Thursday when it published a jumble of words by a despicable individual named Yossi Klein, under the headline "Killing Children Brings Israelis Together."
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We won't refer here to this abhorrent article as to not provide Haaretz with more clicks, the blood money it seeks to collect at the expense of the Israeli people. Those who wish can easily find it on the aforementioned website.
In brief, Klein refers to the assassination of senior Islamic Jihad commanders and claims that the death of Gazan children in Israeli strikes is not a tragic outcome of the circumstances but a deliberate act by the Israeli government, IDF, and the Israeli people.
The objective? To sow terror in the hearts of Palestinians, evoke joy in the average Israeli, and remind ourselves that we are all brothers after 18 weeks of divisive protests.
I have no interest in trying to analyze what’s going on in Klein's mind; all I can do is pity him. However, I do not pity his editors, the individuals who direct Haaretz’s English edition. Time and time again, they go out of their way to tarnish the image of Israel and Israelis worldwide. The platform this website provides for statements like Klein's is exceptionally extreme, far more extreme than the Hebrew-language platform of the Haaretz group.
I am not certain why they do this. Is it due to an anti-Zionist, anti-Israel, or even antisemitic ideology? I suspect, however, that the motive is cynically vile, no less – a desire to establish themselves as the most far-left rag, with the goal of ensnaring the most ardent haters of Israel, simply to get them to click, share, and like in order to generate traffic, dollars, and stroke the egos of those in charge.
The website's editors also benefit from the fact that, besides a variety of Hebrew media outlets, Israel lacks effective communication channels in foreign languages and its public diplomacy apparatus is paralyzed due to political reasons.
I know what the reason is for not publishing such repulsive articles: conscience, empathy and concern for fellow human beings. How do I know? Because I haven't seen a single critical word on the website against Islamic Jihad (or Hamas and Hezbollah for that matter) for their indiscriminate rocket fire at Israeli civilians, including children. I haven't seen a single word of criticism for the killing of Palestinian children by Islamic Jihad itself in their failed rocket launches from residential neighborhoods.
It’s in Haaretz’s right to act this way, to curry favor with antisemites, boycotters, and haters. It is their right to try sawing off the branch we all sit on. Whatever the editors' motivation may be, contrary to the image they are trying to portray to the world, Israel is a free country.
However, dear readers, if Israel and the Jewish people are dear to your hearts, it is also your obligation not to take part in this cynical game. There are three other Israeli news websites in English: The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and, of course, this website, ynetnews.com. We, at ynetnews.com, have pledged to report quickly, accurately, comprehensively, and without a deceitful and distorted anti-Israel agenda on what is happening here.
We do this not only so that you can stay informed but also so that you can share with your friends and colleagues around the world who have so far been fed a confected, one-sided narrative. We do this so that you won't hesitate the next time someone presents you with another mendacious article penned by an Israeli “journalist" and says to you "But it was published in Haaretz."
- Alon Goldstein is VP of content at Yedioth Ahronoth Group