On the day that Israel launched the newest prototype of the launch vehicle for its Jericho III missile, Channel 10’s Tzinor Layla interviewed me. There was a gag on reporting the exact nature of the missile that was launched. But as long as a foreign reporter said it, it was OK for the Israeli censor. We’re sometimes very useful in that way. To this day, the New York Times and its “ground-breaking” Israel bureau still insist on reporting only that a “missile” was launched, despite the fact that both AP and my own Israeli source have reported that it was a Jericho III. Ground-breaking indeed.
Breaking news on the Israeli national security state
NYT is very disciplined, prints only the new that fits its editorial philosophy. Some might unkindly call it a propaganda rag. I would not be surprised to learn that it is 30 years since NYT printed that Israel’s settlements are illegal at international law. I doubt it has ever printed that 10% of Israel’s Jewish population lives in settlements (whether or not characterized as illegal).