The media should avoid showing terrorists’ joy and “V for victory” upon release, says Channel 2 reporter.
By Maayana Miskin
First Publish: 10/17/2011, 3:27 PM
Terrorist prisoners
Israel news photo: Flash 90
The Israeli media should avoid covering the release of terrorists this week in exchange for Gilad Shalit, journalist Rina Matzliach of Channel 2 news argued, in a column published Monday.
“I would suggest to all the media outlets that they agree to one limitation in the upcoming days,” Matzliach said. “It is related not to the Shalit family, but rather, to all those bereaved families whose loved ones’ murderers will be released from jail.
“Even those who supported the deal, and certainly those who opposed it, will suffer greatly from the expected pictures of terrorists celebrating – terrorists going free, signing ‘V’ with their hands and smiling at the cameras,” she wrote.
Covering their joy would serve no purpose at this point, she argued. “It’s true that we need to know the price we paid for Gilad Shalit’s release, but the deal has already been signed and there is no more public debate over the price,” she said. “Now, all we can do is show consideration.”
“There is no need to show the prisoners at their moment of joy… The terrorists will be photographed and interviewed by anyone who shows interest, by journalists in Israel and abroad, and in many homes in Israel will sit people whose worlds were destroyed a few years ago, and the pictures will be like salt in an open wound – because the wound of losing a family member is always open,” Matzliach concluded.
Many relatives of terror victims have been devastated by news of the killers’ release. At least one family plans to leave the country if the terrorist who took part in the murder of their relatives is freed.
“I would suggest to all the media outlets that they agree to one limitation in the upcoming days,” Matzliach said. “It is related not to the Shalit family, but rather, to all those bereaved families whose loved ones’ murderers will be released from jail.
“Even those who supported the deal, and certainly those who opposed it, will suffer greatly from the expected pictures of terrorists celebrating – terrorists going free, signing ‘V’ with their hands and smiling at the cameras,” she wrote.
Covering their joy would serve no purpose at this point, she argued. “It’s true that we need to know the price we paid for Gilad Shalit’s release, but the deal has already been signed and there is no more public debate over the price,” she said. “Now, all we can do is show consideration.”
“There is no need to show the prisoners at their moment of joy… The terrorists will be photographed and interviewed by anyone who shows interest, by journalists in Israel and abroad, and in many homes in Israel will sit people whose worlds were destroyed a few years ago, and the pictures will be like salt in an open wound – because the wound of losing a family member is always open,” Matzliach concluded.
Many relatives of terror victims have been devastated by news of the killers’ release. At least one family plans to leave the country if the terrorist who took part in the murder of their relatives is freed.
