An Israeli Al Jazeera? You are joking, aren't you?

An Israeli Al-Jazeera, the headline calls it. Not that I think that's a particularly good, and certainly not a sensible, heading.

I think I know what the journo writing the piece means, but she hardly helps her case by calling it this. Hardly going to run well in Israel! Be that as it may, i24 is planning to start broadcasting in the summer, and is based in Jaffa Port. Initially, the station will broadcast in English, French and Arabic, but may expand the languages later.

The station will carry reports and comment on politics, international affairs, culture, sport and other subjects. Presumably with an Israeli slant. It may well succeed, if it avoids the reputation, deserved or otherwise, that Al Jazeera carries. I managed to shock an Oz cousin of mine who proudly proclaimed that while travelling, he could, among other things, Al Jazeera on his iPad. I think my lip may have actually curled (tho' I hope not) as I explained I already had enough problems with biased reporting on the Middle East from The Guardian and the BBC without needing another source.

I suspect that he actually saw (may still see) Al J. as somehow unbiased. As he was our house guest at the time, he restrained himself.

Anyway, judge for yourselves what you think.

By: Brian Goldfarb