Israel Matzav

Why the Israeli media doesn't like Mitt Romney

The Israeli media does not like Mitt Romney. Even worse, however, it denigrates him. Senior reporters, particularly those who had been stationed in the United States, step into line with their colleagues, taking their cues from the American media, and favor President Obama; and both freely enumerate Romney's shortcomings. They say he's conservative, unsophisticated, fundamentalist (for saying, for example, that for him, "Jerusalem and Israel are places of divine significance" ), and he's a Republican.

And his greatest failing of all: he is incurably pro-Israel. He threatens Iran as if he were Benjamin Netanyahu and, report journalists accusingly, he makes irresponsible promises to Israel that will only encourage its aggression. The media also managed to disparage the audience that gathered in Romney's honor as conservative, simplistic, supportive of Netanyahu, and religious.

I'm convinced that these simpletons, who don't constantly speak ill of the country, represent the real Israel. They know with whom they are dealing. Despite all the problems, some nearly insoluble, and whoever their leaders may be, most of the people are proud of their country, believe in the justice of its cause and its future, and believe that its bad side - about which they hear constantly - is far outweighed by the good.

Labels: Campaign 2012, Israeli media bias, Mitt Romney

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:16 PM