Gaza presentation in the Lancet and the NY Times. Journalistic standards and lessons to be learned. - by Sheri Oz

...With Israel and the Palestinian Authority taking such a center-stage role in world news, with the issues so incendiary and sensitive, it seems only right that papers such as the Times step up their game and do what The Lancet did in this case.

Sheri Oz..
Israel Diaries..
05 May '18..

The New York Times (NYT) and other major papers could benefit readers by taking an example from the British medical journal, The Lancet. Let us look at the difference between the way the NYT and Lancet handled opinion pieces written about the March of Return in Gaza. These protests began on 30 March and will continue until 14 May.

On 27 April, the Times published an op-ed written by Fadi Abu Shammalah. He provides a first-New York Times and in my analysis of it, I found many errors (lies?).

person description of the demonstrations at the fence along the border between Gaza and Israel claiming them to be non-violent protests against the insufferable occupation and blockade committed by Israel against innocent Palestinian civilians. This piece was unchallenged in the pages of the

Of course, it is legitimate for a newspaper to publish an opinion piece that stands on its own. According to the editorial code of ethics, journalistic reporting must be distinguishable from commentary and opinion and the Abu Shammalah piece is clearly opinion. However, even here, newspapers have a responsibility to readers to provide them with enough material to develop informed opinions themselves regarding important current events in their own countries and around the world. With Israel and the Palestinian Authority taking such a center-stage role in world news, with the issues so incendiary and sensitive, it seems only right that papers such as the Times step up their game and do what The Lancet did in this case.

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