Bias of Junior Scholastic

AS OF NOVEMBER 26, 1996 THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM JUNIOR 
SCHOLASTIC                                                            
                                                          

October 25, 1996


Mr. Hugh Roome, Publisher
Junior Scholastic
555 Broadway 
New York, NY 10012-3999


Dear Mr. Roome:

It was very disturbing to read your October 18-25 issue of  Junior 
Scholastic which contained numerous inaccuracies about the Middle 
East, many slanted against the new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 
Netanyahu.  	

On Page 35 you declare that former Israeli prime ministers Yitzhak 
Rabin and Shimon Peres were "strong supporters of peace" but Prime 
Minister Netanyahu is not. You state  that many Israelis prefer 
Netanyahu's "hard- line stance" and that this will destroy any chance 
of peace in the region.  By stating this you give a false impression 
of the Israeli people's desire for peace and  Netanyahu's position on 
the peace process.  

 Every Israeli wants peace.  Prior to the Israeli election and 
immediately after the election Netanyahu repeatedly stated that he 
wants peace and security.  He promised to abide by the Oslo accords 
and is doing so by virtue of  the current negotiations on 
redeployment from Hebron. The fact that his approach to negotiations 
is different than his predecessor  should not be construed as being 
against peace. It is wrong to draw this false conclusion for your 
young readership. 

You might have made reference to the PLO's numerous violations of the 
Oslo accords as reason for Netanyahu's different  negotiating 
approach.  The PLO's violations have been recognized by Peace Watch, 
a nonpartisan group monitoring the Israeli-Palestinian compliance 
with the Oslo Accords. These violations have also been recognized by 
our State Department.  The PLO, headed by chairman Yasir Arafat has 
failed in its foremost obligation - to take all necessary measures to 
prevent terror attacks against Israel and Israeli targets.  In  fact, 
Arafat and senior Palestinian Authority officials continue to incite 
violence against Israel by making speeches calling Israel "the 
Zionist enemy" and urging "jihad (Islamic holy war) against Israel. 
Additionally, the PLO has  failed to honor Israel's 18 requests for 
the extradition of  terrorist suspects,  have not closed down 
terrorist training camps, have not outlawed terrorist groups such as 
Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have tortured at lease 7 prisoners to death 
and have n
t changed the PLO convenant that calls for Israel's destruction.  

 Most recently the PLO police have turned their Israeli supplied and 
Israeli funded weapons on Israelis, killing 15 Israelis on the Jewish 
holy site of Joseph's tomb. 

A more fitting statement to give your readers would have been 
"despite the PLO's numerous violations of  its agreement with Israel, 
Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to seek peace through negotiations 
with  the PLO."  The fact that you only point to Netanyahu as the one 
responsible for destroying any chance for peace shows an unfair slant 
against,  and false impression of  the new Israeli prime minister.   

			
You continue to discredit Netanyahu in your discussion of the PLO 
(page 35). You declare that Netanyahu's refusal to negotiate with the 
PLO over Jerusalem could create hostilities. Your are implying that 
Netanyahu is to blame if  the PLO resorts to violence. You are 
implying that Palestinian violence is justified if Israel refuses to 
negotiate on its capital. Let me remind you that prime ministers 
Rabin and Peres were just as emphatic on Jerusalem, publicly stating 
that Jerusalem will remain undivided, under Israel sovereignty and 
will not be the capital of any other entity.  

It would have been appropriate to comment on PLO's readiness to 
resort to violence as a negotiating tactic. 

Your discussion of the PLO contains several factual errors, including 
 errors of  omissions and misrepresentation. 

The PLO was founded in 1964,  not 1967 as you imply. In 1964 Israel 
did  not control the West Bank or East Jerusalem.  The PLO convenant, 
calling for Israel destruction through violence was written in 1964.  
It is therefore not true that the PLO has been "at war"  since 1967 
or that Israel's control of the West Bank and Gaza strip is the 
reason for the PLO's terrorist attacks.  Officially, as of this 
writing, the  PLO's aim is the destruction of  Israel. Their charter 
has not been changed. It is important to keep this in mind when you 
write anything about the PLO. 

It is also patently false that "the Palestinian council ...governs 
the new state." (italics mine)  There is no new state.  I repeat: 
There is no new state. The Oslo accords does not mention statehood.  
Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres did not agree to a Palestinian 
state. Your are giving incorrect information.  

On page 38 you include an excellent glossary of  "Terms To Know"  to 
understand your "Who's Who Among Government Leaders."  You define 
Presidential Dictatorship" as "A government in which the president 
exercises total power, as in Peru."  Peru is not included among your 
"Who's Who Among Government Leaders" but the PLO is. A look at how 
Arafat rules would show that the term "presidential dictatorship" is 
an accurate description of  Yasir Arafat. But you miss this 
opportunity. Instead, you malign the prime minister of  Israel, the 
only democracy and staunch ally of  the United States in the Middle 
East.

The new Palestinian Legislative Council of 88 members cannot 
influence, cannot criticize and  has not legislated a single matter 
of substance.  Arafat ignores any action  which he disapproves  
including five proposals for a proper constitution. When the subject 
of a constitution was brought up Arafat denounced the members as 
"sons of  whores"  and left the chamber, (see "In Arafat's Kingdom" 
by Nadav Haetzni, Commentary October, 1996.) 

It seems to me your treatment of Arafat with kid-gloves compared to 
your harsh treatment of  Netanyahu clearly reveals an unfair bias on 
your part. 

It is revealing that you don't mention anything about the PLO's long 
history of  terrorism.  Yet  you incorrectly refer to the man who 
murdered Yitzhak Rabin as a "Jewish terrorist."                       


A terrorist is a member of a violent group whose aim is to create 
fear and intimidation among  a targeted population.  At times 
terrorist have specific demands, at times creating fear and 
vulnerability is the goal. 

Calling Yigdal Amir a Jewish terrorist implies that a Jewish 
terrorist organization exists and is responsible for the murder of  
Yitzhak Rabin.  This is untrue. Yigdal  Amir is no more a terrorist 
than Lee Harvey Oswald.       

I am astounded at your use of inaccuracies and  falsehoods to portray 
a negative image of  Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu on your 
impressionable young audience. I am sure you are aware of  the damage 
misinformation and bias can cause at their age.  I  hope you will 
take the proper steps to correct your errors, to be fair and balanced 
in your presentations.

I hope to hear from you regarding this matter. 


							Sincerely, 


							Leonard Getz
cc: Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
      Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting  in America 
(CAMERA)

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