MOST JOURNALISTS have been kept out of Gaza by the Israeli government on the pretext of security and the Israelis are pleased with the results.
Foreign journalists have been forced to report without getting to the detail of what is going on. That meant that reporters who would have been in Gaza were instead reporting from Israeli towns and cities under fire from Hamas, while Israeli officials found it easier to get in front of a TV camera.
An Israeli official told me they were delighted at a BBC TV correspondent broadcasting from Ashkelon in a flak jacket, reinforcing the impression that the Israeli city is a war zone when there is more chance of being hit by a car than a rocket. The notable exception is al-Jazeera TV, which has a bureau in Gaza City and has been broadcasting live from there. Danny Seaman, head of the Israeli government’s press office, says the exclusion of reporters from Gaza has worked in Israel’s favour as it has forced a greater focus on Israel’s side of the story. – Chris McGreal