Dear NewsHour

Dear NewsHour,

On your web page, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june06/gaza_06-28.html you write, "troops crossed the Gaza border for the first time since the Israeli withdrawal 10 months ago" but that is incorrect. The first time the Israeli army had re-entered the Gaza Strip, directly violating Palestinian control of the territory, since it supposedly left in August last year was on June 24, when Israel kidnapped two civilians.

You and the nearly every other mainstream outlet in America have suppressed the fact that Israel kidnapped TWO CIVILIANS, a doctor and his brother, from their home in Gaza on June 24, the day BEFORE the Israeli soldier was captured. And you have incorrectly reported when the first time Israel troops crossed the Gaza border actually was. It was, as I pointed out, actually on June 24th.

Please make the correction on air and stop suppressing and distorting the news. I have to ask how many Palestinians have to be killed or how many abused by Israel or kidnapped by Israel before it counts as provocation? Why do you always say it is Palestinian actions that are the provocation? You are doing a grave disservice to your viewers.

here is a link to sources: http://representativepress.blogspot.com/2006/07/lebanon-israel-facts-media-isnt.html
http://representativepress.blogspot.com/2006/07/dear-israel-supporters.html

-Tom Murphy