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28 January 2011
By Mazin Qumsiyeh A handy
dictionary/rules book for anyone writing on the Middle
East issues in the mainstream media. To get published
as a news journalist, it seems you have to follow
these rules. Definitions:
Caught in the Crossfire:
When Palestinian civilians are killed.
Retaliation:
When Israeli army or settlers kill Palestinians.
Escalation:
Any act of violence or resistance by the Palestinians.
Murdered:
When Israeli Civilians are killed.
Brutal/cowardly/ghastly:
adjectives describing attacks on
Israelis.
Self defense:
Any act of violence by Israelis.
Terrorism:
Any act of violence by the Palestinians.
Civilians:
Armed settlers are civilians when killed. Try to avoid
using this term for Palestinians.
Neighborhoods:
Areas inhabited by Israeli settlers.
Positions:
Any Palestinian towns and villages especially when
bombed by helicopter gunships or raked with large
caliber machine guns.
Tragedy: Any
Israeli death.
Deserved: Any
Palestinian death.
Squatters:
Palestinian natives.
Democratic ally:
Synonym for Israel.
Disputed Areas:
Any Palestinian or Arab land occupied
by Israel in defiance of International law.
Anti-Semite:
Person condemns Israeli violations of Palestinian
civil and human rights.
Victims: Any
Jewish Israeli.
Attacker: Any
Palestinian engaging in any form of resistance.
Targets:
Palestinian buildings, homes, offices – What the
Israeli military designates as military targets.
Attack/bombing/murder:
Acts the Palestinians commit when
directed at Israelis.
Clashes: This
is a difficult term to understand but is generally
used when Palestinians die.
Measures (e.g. Economic measures,
security measures) : Any
acts the Israelis commit (blockades, collective
punishment, shelling neighborhoods, starving a
population etc). Security:
Anything the Israeli government chooses to do. This
can include land confiscation, extra-judicial
killings, home demolitions, destruction of groves,
uprooting trees, blockades etc. The term security is
reserved for use only with the word Israel or Israeli
and must never
be applied to Palestinians. Lashing out: A term
reserved for Palestinians and acts they commit against
Israelis. Under siege:
Again a term for use by the Israelis as in
Palestinians have put Israelis under siege. Exact
meaning depends on the circumstances. Never use for
Palestinian towns or villages. Rules: When to use
Passive voice: If the violent action is committed
by Israelis (e.g. 2 Palestinians were killed, one of
them a 9 year old). When to use
active voice: If the action is committed by
Palestinians (e.g. Palestinians killed a Jewish child,
Palestinians kills teenager). While reporting
about Israelis: "2 Israelis were injured", while
reporting about Palestinian use the verbs claimed, say
etc. "Palestinians say woman dies of teargas
inhalation in West Bank" (e.g. Ha'aretz) Names: Must
be included for any Jewish victims, always avoid names
for Muslim or Christian victims but use numbers in
stead (remember in the passive voice, e.g. 2
Palestinians died in clashes). When an Israeli
is killed: It is important to note his or her
profession, where he/she is from and was going,
whether or not he/she is religious, and whether or not
he/she is an immigrant from the U.S. or Russia. If the
dead person is survived by a spouse and children, this
should be noted. If the victim is a youngster, the
school they attended should be mentioned, and their
friends' feelings should be noted. in general, people
who knew the dead person should testify to their
humanity. When a
Palestinian is killed, they should not be personalized
in any way. When an
Israeli is killed, it is useful to include graphic
descriptions of the death scene – the covered body,
the fragments of flesh, the path of flowing blood,
etc. Please ensure
that your local media editor/journalist receives this
list. Mazin Qumsiyeh,
PhD ~~~~~~ Incorrect term ………………………………………… Correct term Peace ……………………………………… Permanent pre-hostility Unprovoked attack by USA or Israel … Pre-emptive strike Aggressive war ………………………………… Conflict or dispute Permanent aggressive war ……………… Protracted conflict Global aggressive war ……………….. Spreading democracy Individual resistance to aggressive war ………. Terrorism Group resistance to aggressive war …………… Insurgency National resistance to aggressive war ……….. Rogue state Multi-national resistance to aggressive war ….. Axis of evil Political leader of resistance to aggression ………. Dictator Military leader of resistance to aggressive war … Warlord Any Muslim who questions aggressive war …… al-Qaeda Any other person who questions aggression …… Militant Department that engages in aggression … Dept. of defense Invasion to promote aggressive war …………….. Incursion Israeli agents of aggressive war ……. Israeli defense force Victim of aggressive war …………………… Illegal combatant Weapons of aggressive war …………… Policy instruments Massive funding of aggression …. Enhanced force protection Popular support for aggressive war …………….. Democracy Genocide ……………………………………. Degrading the enemy Dead U.S. soldiers …………………. Non-operative personnel Murder (as a verb) ……………………………………… Neutralize Attack ……………………………………………………. Defend Facts / evidence / objective reality …. Enemy propaganda Military censorship ………………………. Embedded reporters Destroying civilian infrastructure …. Asymmetric warfare Destroying civilians themselves ………… Collateral damage Imprisonment ………………………………………………. Detention Prisoner ………………………………………………….. Detainee Torture ……………………………………………….. Interrogation Illegal spying on Americans ……….. Terrorist surveillance Questioning war ……………………………… Anti-Americanism Questioning murder ………………………………….. Cut and run Questioning the government ……………. Lack of patriotism Mass questioning of the agenda …. Home-grown terrorism Mass ignorance …………………………… Consumer confidence Debt ……………………………………………………….. Finances U.S. Constitution/Geneva Conventions … Quaint documents We will nuke anyone anytime …. All options are on the table Human bodies ………………………………….. Soft targets Apartheid wall ………………………………………. Security fence Muslim …………………………………. Islamist or Islamofascist Islam …………………………………… Anti-American radicalism Distraction while we prepare to strike again … Peace process Questioning zionist atrocities ………… Anti-semitism Questioning Jewish supremacism ………… Anti-semitism Questioning U.S. funding for israel ……. Anti-semitism Questioning AIPAC espionage ………….. Anti-semitism Questioning the "holocaust" …………… Anti-semitism Neglect to capitalize "holocaust" ……… Anti-semitism "Huh?" ……………………………… Anti-semitism Massive funding for weapons makers … Supporting the troops Israelis that violently evict Palestinians from Palestine … Settlers Multiple victims of aggressive war (the people of Gaza) … Enemy entity Distraction while we prepare to strike again … Peace process A child who got blinded / maimed / blown to bits when she accidentally got in the way of our aggression ……. Human shield Who cares if rag-heads get wasted? ……………… There is no moral equivalence between terrorists and security forces
The article by Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh was firstly posted to EsinIslam.Com January 2009. Articles of Mr. Qumsiyeh can be accessed here. |
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