Wednesday, May 01, 2002
[posted by jaed at 2:37 PM]The persistence of lies
The Washington Times reports that Al Fatah has concluded the Palestinian death toll at the battle in Jenin was 56. Which is about what I'd expected it to come out as. Israeli officials estimated about 50 a week ago; other groups are providing about the same numbers.
Nonetheless, I know that in future years, friends attacking Israel will point to the "massacre" of Jenin, in which "hundreds were killed" and "the whole city was destroyed", in excuse for the latest atrocities. Just like they point to the merciless and deliberate Israeli killing of the child Muhammed al-Durra (who was caught in a shootout with his father and was killed by a Palestinian bullet, but the lie persists anyway). Lies have a habit of doing that, when they're repeated and reinforced and exaggerated with every trip around the globe.
The Weekly Standard also comments, in an article worth reading if only for the headline:
THE JENIN PROBE ENDS
The United Nations, unhappy about the prospect of seeing Israel exonerated, decides not to investigate Jenin.
