Anti-Israel Bias -- Thy Name is CNN

Hat tip and a big thanks to Rory for this one. It's a letter from Amit Keinan -- who lost several family members to a homicide bomber. While it's one story about CNN's bias, it's hardly the only story out there. I had to turn off CNN International (shown late at night on the West coast) after 9/11 because its constant anti-Israel bias was sending my blood pressure through the roof.

On May 27th, 2002 a suicide bomber from Yasser Arafat's organization blew himself up near my 14 months old niece's cart, murdering the little baby SINAI KEINAN and her grandmother RUTHI PELED. My brother and sister in law LIOR and CHEN KEINAN were injured.

As you will shortly see, the CNN perfected its ability to report only one side of the story (the EVIL side), thereby supporting only that side's cause and SHOWING THE WORLD HOW BIASED THE CNN IS.

Last Friday (May 31st), the mourning parents made an indescribable effort to come and give two separate interviews:

The first, a live interview for CNN USA (Friday, 4 PM Israel time) - in which they expressed their pain and anguish, thanked the American people for their support and pleaded with the viewers to continue and support Israel in its fight against terror.

The second, a taped interview for CNN International (that unlike CNN USA can be viewed in Europe and Israel through cable) - in which the mourning parents expressed a small part of their strong feelings about Europe's unbelievable continuous support and "understanding" of the Palestinian's cause and the brutal, immoral and murderous ways they use to achieve the same.

We were told the interview was to be aired that day 6PM Israel time. That Friday, 8 PM Israel time, CNN INTERNATIONAL FINALLY APPROACHED THE ISSUE BY SHOWING A LONG INTERVIEW WITH THE SUICIDE BOMBER'S MOTHER WHO "EXPLAINED" WHY HE DID WHAT HE DID (the family's boutique was damaged and a relative was killed in battle(!!!)) !!! WITHOUT AIRING OR EVEN MENTIONING THE INTERVIEW WITH THE YOUNG COUPLE. The same repeated itself numerous times that evening and the day after.

Only the day after, after editing the American connotation of the live interview to the USA (which of course had an effect on the young couple's choice of words) CNN International cynically aired some short unrelated parts of that interview including the mentioned plea for continuing the support, plus a few seconds of the taped interview (out of a 20 minute interview).

All in all, CNN allocated no less then 16.20 minutes to the murderer's family as opposed to 5.35 minutes to the Keinan/Israeli side. The interview with the murderer's mother was aired 5 times (mostly during prime time) as opposed to the US interview with the young couple which was aired twice (non on prime time).

After being approached by a few government offices, the CNN now bothered to acknowledge "a mistake" and air some additional parts of the interviews, which of course now brings us nowhere.

Putting aside all PR issues, one can only begin to imagine what all this did to the mourning families.

I believe knowing the above will suffice in helping the reader do like I did and DECIDE TO NEVER AGAIN WATCH CNN.

I also believe CNN MUST BE FORCED TO ADMIT WHAT THEY DID, PUBLICLY AND DURING PRIME TIME.

For that cause, I ask you to forward the above story to as many people as you can.

Thank you,

Amit Keinan