Bitter Lemons

Looking for an unbiased source on the Israel-Palestine conflict? Good luck. Most sources that claim to be unbiased are hopelessly biased. Most sources that strive for actual balance come under relentless attack, often from both sides, with demands that they be more sympathetic to one side or the other, or complaints that their depiction of one side's suffering wasn't sufficiently balanced by an account of the other side's suffering. This pressure has, in my opinion, resulted in some excessively cautious and ineffective reporting in the west. If you want to find out what is actually going on in Israel and the occupied territories, you must often turn to Israeli sources such as Ha'aretz, which is willing to publish perspectives that the western media seems afraid to touch. (Still, as Israeli peace activist Uri Avery recently pointed out, Ha'aretz often comes close to mirroring the positions of IDF spokespersons, when it comes to the facts of the conflict.)

I can, however, suggest a source that tries something a bit different. Rather than trying to present a balanced image, and coming under attack from both sides for anything that can be construed or misconstrued as "bias", this source presents essays from a variety of perspectives. The essays are available by email subscription, and the weekly emails include two editorials from an Israeli perspective and two from a Palestinian perspective. And yes, it is possible to read through all four and disagree with every major point raised in every editorial - this week's efforts by each side to claim "moral superiority" perhaps being a case in point. This source provides a valuable means by which to obtain all points of view - and if you never listen to positions with which you disagree, how can you test the validity and reasonableness of your own beliefs?

The source is bitterlemons. Also available, bitterlemons-international, which provides multiple international perspectives on the various conflicts in the Middle East.

Comments