Bad New York Times reporting and also tweeting

By YISRAEL MEDAD

 

Just yesterday, the NYTimes carried an item on the Gaza tunnels.

This section many viewed as inadequate:

 

I was beckoned out of the tunnel, and I met its owner, a Palestinian. A permanent grin etched into his dusty, weathered face, he explained how crossing into Gaza works.“If anyone wants to cross from Egypt, via my tunnel, he has to call me up about a week in advance, and he needs to apply for a permit with Hamas,” the owner said. “From the Gazan government’s point of view, whether you cross by border or by tunnel, you need permission.”Many Egyptians believe that, after the revolution that toppled the government last year, the Rafah crossing should be opened up for trade and complete freedom of travel, ending an economic siege on Gaza.Gazans have always considered the tunnels a legitimate trade and passenger route, one that is necessary for survival in light of the blockade. The Israeli government views the tunnels as an illegal smuggling route and often targets them in airstrikes, which usually trap and kill workers.

 

 

"Workers" are terrorist infrastructure facilitators?

 

And then I was alerted to some Tweet activity involving, again, the new NYTimes'' bureau chief here in Israel, Jodi Ruderon:

Rudoren''s tweet the other night:

 
Very cool NYT piece on crossing into Gaza via Rafah tunnels by Ruqaya Izzidien, who I''m  looking fwd to mtg next trip http://nyti.ms/JTmJ5z

This is what was tweeted in response:

 
@rudoren Yes how cool! Have you given a thought to how many Israelis have been victims of terror attacks b/c of those tunnels?

She then backed off  a bit-

 
@seffikogen Said story was cool, not the existence of the tunnels. Cool to have a story inside them, showing how it works.
 
And received this:

 
@seffikogen Perhaps not best word choice on my part. fascinating maybe better, revealing, etc
 
And a good sum up:

 
@rudoren spoken like a star struck 16 yr old.

Will Jodi ever get the hang of it or instead of tweeting is she twattering?
By the way, it was pointed out that there was a false claim in that tunnel story.  This line:

"The Israeli government views the tunnels as an illegal smuggling route and often targets them in airstrikes, which usually trap and kill workers."

My friend asked: ''When was the last airstrike on a tunnel? Months ago? What is the definition of "often"? And "usually" -- doesn''t the IAF almost always bomb empty tunnels? ''
And then ChallahHuAkbar pointed out that

It seems one tunnel was bombed in early May, no one died. 
 
At least two Pals have died in tunnels on their own in May 

So, I reread it and I did not like this sentence structure:
Despite the frequent Israeli bombings and, during the era of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, deliberate flooding and even electrocutions,
Exactly who is doing that flooding and electrocuting?
Guess one can''t really depend on balanced, factual and objective news from the NYTimes or its employees.

 

And now, after the incident today, I wonder, do NYTimes reporters, bureau head and editors know that through the tunnels come the weapons & bullets Israel faces?