By Stan Goodenough
Jul 21, 2009
The leftist-championing Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz, moved Tuesday to sow further discord and suspicion between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's "settlers" - those Jews who have made their homes in the historical heart of the Jewish homeland.
Many of the paper's journalists pride themselves in being able to influence and manipulate Israeli leaders and policies using Machiavellian writing techniques. More than any other group, reporters like these have been responsible over the years for creating negative attitudes towards Netanyahu and other right-of-center politicians.
In a report appearing on top of its website, Ha'aretz proclaimed that Israel's Defense Forces were "planning to evacuate all outposts in one day." (See separate story.)
The IDF denied the report, but not before right wing figures had reacted angrily, even warning of bloodshed should such a operation be attempted.
The name "outpost" is applied to small new communities of Jews established in Samaria and Judea in defiance of international efforts to prevent the growth of the Jewish presence in these areas.
Twenty-three such communities are slated to be dismantled and, according to the Ha'aretz report, police and IDF forces had been carrying out exercises in preparation for the evacuations.
This was being done "with the knowledge of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," said Ha'aretz.
But the reporter, Yoel Marcus, gave no indication on what grounds he based such an assertion, spurring suspicions that he himself was trying to use his position to "create reality."