Israel Matzav

Wall Street Journal uses staged photo

The photo above, which was used by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, sure looks staged, doesn't it?

Dr. Allon Friedman, who sent it to me, sent the Journal the following letter in response:

Sir,

I wish to bring your attention to a highly suspicious photograph that was included on page A8 of the WSJ print edition yesterday (12/1/12) in an article entitled “Israel pushes housing after U.N. vote.” 

The photograph’s caption states:  “A Palestinian girl tries to push an Israeli soldier at a demonstration in the West Bank village of al-Masara…”

Even a brief perusal of the photograph raises a number of troubling observations:

1.  The girl’s arms are fully outstretched with her fingertips touching the plastic shield of the Israeli soldier.  Judging by her stance and the position of her arms, there is no sense of physical strain on her part nor of force being exerted either by her or the soldier.  In fact, the girl does not look like she is trying to push anything.  Rather, it looks very much like what one would expect with a staged photo, where someone has asked the girl to walk up to the soldier and put her hands on the shield for a photo-op.

2.  In addition, the “demonstration” is odd in that, at least in the photo, there is no sense of urgency or tension at all.  Note the soldier in the background who is looking down at something as well as the empty space that surrounds the girl.

In summary, the photo was most likely staged.  Unfortunately, there is copious documentation that the Western media frequently publish staged and/or manipulated photos of the Arab-Israeli conflict.  Invariably, the photos fit an anti-Israel narrative, like the one I describe here (oppressed child vs. oppressor soldier).  Often the photos can be traced back to Arab stringers or photographers who are simply biased against Israel or, on certain occasions, actually on the payroll of Israel’s adversaries.  

This would not be the first time that a staged photo was used in the propaganda war against Israel, but it is very troubling that a reputable newspaper like the WSJ has chosen to publish it. 

I look forward to hearing back from you about this matter.

Sincerely,

Allon Friedman, MD

Shocked.... Just shocked.... (Not!).

Labels: fauxtography

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:27 AM