World

July 19, 2011

Amid Murdoch scandal, Israel backers worry about muting of pro-Israel media voice

by Ron Kampeas, JTA

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Pro-Israel leaders in the United States, Britain and Australia are warily watching the unfolding of the phone-hacking scandal that is threatening to engulf the media empire of Rupert Murdoch, founder of News Corp.

Murdoch’s sudden massive reversal of fortune—with 10 top former staffers and executives under arrest in Britain for hacking into the phones of public figures and a murdered schoolgirl, and paying off the police and journalists—has supporters of Israel worried that a diminished Murdoch presence may mute the strongly pro-Israel voice of many of the publications he owns.

“His publications and media have proven to be fairer on the issue of Israel than the rest of the media,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice-chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “I hope that won’t be impacted.”

Murdoch’s huge stable encompasses broadsheets such as The Wall Street Journal, the Times of London and The Australian, as well as tabloids, most notably The Sun in Britain and the New York Post. It also includes the influential Fox News Channel in the United States and a 39 percent stake in British Sky Broadcasting, or BSkyB, a satellite broadcaster. Murdoch founded the neoconservative flagship The Weekly Standard in 1995, and sold it last year.

Jewish leaders said that Murdoch’s view of Israel’s dealings with the Palestinians and with its Arab neighbors seemed both knowledgeable and sensitive to the Jewish state’s self-perception as beleaguered and isolated.

“My own perspective is simple: We live in a world where there is an ongoing war against the Jews,” Murdoch said last October at an Anti-Defamation League dinner in his honor. “When Americans think of anti-Semitism, we tend to think of the vulgar caricatures and attacks of the first part of the 20th century. Now it seems that the most virulent strains come from the left. Often this new anti-Semitism dresses itself up as legitimate disagreement with Israel.”

Murdoch, 80, has visited Israel multiple times and met with many of its leaders. In 2009 he was honored by the American Jewish Committee.

“In the West, we are used to thinking that Israel cannot survive without the help of Europe and the United States,” he said at the AJC event. “Tonight I say to you, maybe we should start wondering whether we in Europe and the United States can survive if we allow the terrorists to succeed in Israel. “

Leaders of a number of pro-Israel groups declined to comment for this story because of Murdoch’s current difficulties. On Tuesday he and his son, James, testified before a parliamentary committee in London.

Murdoch also has been seen as a friend of the Jews in the Diaspora. When some Jewish organizational leaders complained that Fox talk show host Glenn Beck was relying on anti-Semitic tropes in peddling discredited theories about liberal billionaire financier George Soros, Murdoch nudged Fox chief Roger Ailes into meetings with Jewish leaders. Beck left Fox last month.

Murdoch’s affection for Israel arose less out of his conservative sensibility than from his native Australian sympathy for the underdog fending off elites seized by conventional wisdoms, according to Isi Liebler, a longtime Australian Jewish community leader who now lives in Israel.

On Tuesday morning, July 19, Rupert Murdoch was accosted by a protester with a shaving foam pie during a British Parliament committee hearing about the News of the World phone hacking scandal. Story continues after the jump.

“From my personal communications with him, it’s something that built up,” Liebler told JTA. “He’s met Israelis, he’s been to Israel, he’s seen Israel as the plucky underdog when the rest of the world saw Israel as an occupier.”

Australian Jews noted the pro-Israel cast of Murdoch’s papers as early as the 1970s, before he had established ties with the Jewish community. The word from inside his company was that Israel was an issue that he cared about, which helped shape its coverage in his media properties.

Robert Fisk, a veteran Middle East correspondent and a fierce critic of Israel who worked for the Murdoch-owned Times of London from 1981 until 1988, eventually quit and moved to The Independent because of what he said was undue editorial interference in his writing. Recalling those days, Fisk said Murdoch’s influence trickled down through editors who understood that he wanted his media to reflect his outlook.

“I don’t believe Murdoch personally interfered in any of the above events,” Fisk wrote recently in The Independent, describing the decisions that drove him away from the Times. “He didn’t need to. He had turned The Times into a tame, pro-Tory, pro-Israeli paper shorn of all editorial independence.”

In recent days, Murdoch has appeared wan and battered by the crisis that already has shut down a flagship paper, The News of the World, and scuttled his takeover plans for BSkyB.

The question now circulating in pro-Israel circles is whether the empire’s pro-Israel stance will survive Murdoch.

“Is this curtains for pro-Israel Murdoch?” the London Jewish Chronicle asked in a column last week.

An account of a clash over Israel between Murdoch and his son and heir apparent was first published in the diaries of Labour Party publicist Alastair Campbell and has splashed through pro- and anti-Israel blogs in recent days.

Campbell, in an account republished last week in The Guardian, which has led the coverage of the phone-hacking charges, described a dinner at 10 Downing St., the British prime minister’s residence, in 2002, when Tony Blair—also seen as pro-Israel—was its occupant.

“Murdoch said he didn’t see what the Palestinians’ problem was and James said it was that they were kicked out of their f—-ing homes and had nowhere to f—-ing live,” the account in The Guardian said. Murdoch chided his son for using foul language in the prime minister’s home.

Liebler said that from what he understood, the incident was an anomaly and one that emerged during one of the most intense periods of Israeli-Palestinian clashes.

“He’s had differences with his son on many issues, and this happened once and it went off the map,” Liebler said. “I don’t think it was anything fundamental.”

A version of this article appeared in print.

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I knew it is just a matter of time until the lefties find some connection between this controversy and Israel. You know, they say there is a Jew under every rock. Watch out.

Comment by Mini on 7/19/11 at 2:29 pm

Mini—

Your reflex is to attack the left, even as Murdoch has done in the speech quoted above.

Any corporaste head who would allow his corporate culture to press into illegal wiretapingjust for the sake of ratings and selling papers is at heart a profiteer, whether he knew of the wrongdoing or not.

His tolerance for the yellow journalism of Fox news, along with the bigotry of Glen Beck, is not forgiven because of his Israel policy.  But of course he turned that on its conservative head which pleased you so much.

His “news” organizations have not been a source for good on a global basis.  profits, maybe.

Comment by The Logician on 7/19/11 at 2:59 pm

Mini, evidently your thought processes are still “maxied” out. If you don’t think organizations like the ADL and AJC, who have yet to comment on Murdoch’s travails, are not sweating bullets about it at this moment, not to mention HM PM Netanyahu and his mouthpiece, Morton Klein, you are really out of touch. And who or what is the “left” you’re referring to, Ron Kampeas of JTA, who lives in a West Bank settlement, or the Jewish Journal for running the story?

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 7/19/11 at 3:24 pm

If folks are unable to see that Israel is a democratic outpost in desert of despotism it’s probable that they’re purblind—hence never likely to change their respective minds.

Comment by SpecialKinNJ on 7/19/11 at 4:25 pm

Murdoch’s papers, such as the Wall Street Journal which I read daily, are an island of sanity in a sea of anti-Israel propaganda. Their news reporting on national and international affairs is much more honest and reliable than the leftist media such as the NYT, L.A. Times, CNN and MSNBC.

Comment by Davidka on 7/19/11 at 4:33 pm

Murdoch is the most dangerous walking animal on the face of the planet Earth.

He has started wars before they started. He has killed more people than anyone else throughout the history.

Great to see the fall of this empire of “Lies and Propaganda”.

Sad to see Israel is dependent on such entities.

Comment by Frohman on 7/19/11 at 4:59 pm

Another day and time, The Logician rears his MT head. Murdoch’s crime?  Seeking “profits” for his business empire. What a low and tawdry goal! That stockholder’s make money , cheap, common greed at work.  Rupert Mordoch arguably the greatest newsman that ever lived. He visualized before any living man, the coming communications explosion.  The now US citizen took risks and positions making himself, employees and investors, rich beyond dreams. He backed Ed Koch in NYC mayoralty campaign. (Google- Koch/Murdoch) and the Democrat Jew won;  burnishing the tarnished Big Apple during his term in office…....

Comment by Mr. Againster on 7/19/11 at 5:27 pm

Murdock’s news empire in the US will stay pro - Israel because those views reflect the view of his audience.  This country, unlike Europe and the UK, admires the common bonds of decency and democratic values shared by our two countries.

Without Rupert, the news empire in the UK may go from being slightly positive about Israel into alignment with the forces of darkness - the BBC, but worst of all the Guardian, Independent and Observer are cesspools of anti Semitism and hatred of Israel.  The Fisk quote is amusing - his anti Israel animus so causes him to lie in his writing that in the blogosphere to “Fisk” means to check out the lies contained in an article.

Comment by george on 7/19/11 at 5:29 pm

The while providing Murdoch and associates an even greater fortune. He labored to give WSJ the largest circulation in the country. While naysayers predicted he’f destroy that Wall Street Daily.
But Kampeas’s article speaks to prominent Jews concerned that Murdoch’s problems may impact the financier’s unshaken support of Israel; a very serious problem for that beleaguered tiny state in the Mid-East.  Not to worry barks the logical-one, Israel can count on liberal friends such as Barack Obama. Leave it to Barry and his ever present tele-prompter to set the record straight! Aunty Mame

Comment by Mr. Againster on 7/19/11 at 5:30 pm

And I enjoy how the author of this article adds to the trope of Jewish sinister power by claiming Beck is anti Jewish (the exact opposite is true), Jewish leaders complained to Murdock, Murdock had his editors push Beck off Fox.  Since Beck is amazingly pro Jewish and pro Israeli, I would find this story more than unlikely

Comment by george on 7/19/11 at 5:34 pm

It is kind of sad that given the unbelievable virtue of Israel and the moral depravity of the Palestinians and the Arab middle east in general, so many of have feel they have to rely on the good graces of a single person to find support for Israel.

And remind me again why any Jew would vote for Obama?

Comment by george on 7/19/11 at 5:37 pm

And while I don’t know the politics of the author of this article, the claim that he lives in a West Bank Settlement is a lie per Wikipedia, which says he has an apartment in E Jerusalem (of course if you think that East Jerusalem, where Jews have lived for 3,000 years or so except 1948 - 1967, should be Judenfreit, then go ahead and call it a West Bank settlement).

Comment by george on 7/19/11 at 5:52 pm

By George, you’ve got style Aunty Mame

Comment by Mr. Againster on 7/19/11 at 6:03 pm

I believe Kampeas lives in “Ma’ale Adumim (Hebrew: מַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּים‎‎) is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, seven kilometers from Jerusalem,” according to Wikipedia. I guess Wikipedia joins the NY Times, the LA Times, CNN, MSNBC, the Independent, the Guardian, and the Observer as “cesspools of antisemitism.”

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 7/19/11 at 6:31 pm

According to Wikipedia, Kampeas lives in East Talpiot a neighborhood in southeastern Jerusalem, established in 1973 in the upswing of building that followed the Six-Day War. The neighborhood is located in East Jerusalem.

Personally, I don’t know - I’m basing this on Wikipedia.  And of course, depending on who’s editing the particular article, Wikipedia may join the Guardian and Antisemite Jeff as cesspools of antisemitism.

Comment by george on 7/19/11 at 6:58 pm

Here come the regular leftie crowd including my favorite nutsy aka HollyJerk. BTW, wherever Ron Kampeas lives, his postings on JTA, including this one carry a heavy leftist agenda, no exception.

Comment by Mini on 7/19/11 at 7:07 pm

And where do you live, Mini Mouse? Not your home address, but is it in LA, California, or maybe, Israel? Just curious, because like George you seem to be one of the large tuchused American Jews who are willing to fight to the last Israeli.

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 7/19/11 at 7:23 pm

HollyJerk, you are exactly right: “Fight to the last Israeli.” But why are you complaining, Jerk? With the hate you have expressed toward Israel you should be happy, no? Isn’t it part of the Nutsi ideology you so proudly wear on your sleeves? No Israelis—no problem. Final solution, right sweetheart?

Comment by Mini on 7/19/11 at 10:24 pm

Frohman, name for us some of the people Murdoch killed.

Comment by Mini on 7/19/11 at 10:28 pm

Againster—

I have to chime in to say you do not know how to read,  but are expert at reacting.

I have no problem with corporate profits.  But when a news organization operates under the shelter of a free press, and then hacks people’s privacy and bribes police officers, they loose their moral standing.

Profits are fine.  Lies, cheating, bribing and intentionally spreading misinformation as at Fox News are not.  It’s real simple.  Hold him to the same high standards of a responsible press.

In truth his organization is an entertainment enterprise, not a news enterprise.

Comment by The Logician on 7/19/11 at 11:39 pm

Againster #2—

The Wall Street Journal does have excellent world news coverage but its editorial policy is rabidly pro big business, radically Right wing, anti-environment and a culture war mouthpiece.  He just bought another bully pulpit which was already infested with haters.

He had too much of Britain on his payroll and blackmailed too many others to be considerd a force for good in anything he touched.

And of course his son told Tony Blair that f—-ing Jews stole the West Bank from the Arabs.  Still your favorite family?

And Mini—-

You continue to vent and add nothing to the conversation.

Comment by The Logician on 7/19/11 at 11:40 pm

Always pleased when I rouse the pus-filled prose of the Logjam. Loggo doubtless uses Los Angeles Times his point of reference for political sensibilities. Why does this harken me back to 1999 and their revenue sharing arrangement with Staples Center? 
Ah, those were the good old days!

Logjam one might note, seldom engages the argument. Its all about verbal abuse and ad hominem comment.

But why do I bother when the reliable george has Logcabin covered from gable to stable?

Thank you george!
Auntie Mame

Comment by Mr. Againster on 7/20/11 at 7:23 am

Meanwhile, back on the ranch the move toward Israel’s version of T-Party fascism is on the move which I expect will draw cheers from the likes of Mini, George, Againster and their ilk. But it’s drawing cheers from everyone:
http://forward.com/articles/139822/#ixzz1Sd9UagGD

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 7/20/11 at 8:13 am

That should read NOT everyone. The folks at the Forward are not on your used bird cage liner.

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 7/20/11 at 8:20 am

That is a simple and brief peace that covers so much of what we “discuss” here.

One may love Israel and still have constructive criticism for it, despite the mean forces within it that would squash all debate and delegitimize ISrael as a democracy and an antidote to tyranny.

It is in danger of becoming its oppressors…or worse.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 9:16 am

Dear Againster—

You are the one who engages in the same distorted rhetoric as fascists, have done throughout time.

I was appalled at the LA Times for its Staples Center crimes against the public, just as I am today for its Zell imposed diminished coverage and lack of editorial oversight. It is even worse…we agree after all. But that does not mean that all of its coverage has no value, unlike your extreme view.

You ASSume too much, especially when it is convenient for you to imply something not there.

Everyone of my posts has concrete references… especially to your contradictions and intellectual dishonesty.

You are the one making baseless personal attacks.

Schade… schade…

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 9:26 am

Logician said I added nothing to the conversation. Listen sweetheart: The article above had nothing to do with Mr. Murdoch’s ethics or lack thereof, but it smelled of smearing Israel supporters by connecting them with Mr. Murdoch. True, he supports Israel. He also loves potatoes, than what?. And then you buzzed in like a fly to human waste, spewing your venom. This is not a coverstion. I don’t waste my time on lost souls like you. As for Murdoch, I trust the UK justice system will sort it out.

Comment by Mini on 7/20/11 at 10:21 am

Anything to do with Murdoch is involved in his credibility and the value of his organiztions.

One cannot sperate out these issues as easily as you wish.  His support of Israel is welcome.  His manipulation of the news, politician and police is not,in any country.

He is also under investigatiom here.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 10:35 am

Logician, fair enough. But we should be skeptical of anything big, including big media, and I don’t doubt your commitment to Israel though we may see things differently. My beef is with your contempt for conservatives. You do not see us as people who want the best for America (like you, I assume), but simply see things differently. You are not holding MSNBC to the same standards as FNN, though the relationship between GE’s Jeffery Immelt (who owned MSNBC in 2008) and Obama is well documented. The payback to GE by the O administration has been enormous. No concern about it from Logician.

Comment by Mini on 7/20/11 at 12:32 pm

MINI—#1

Sorry I cannot object to all your peeves without knowing what they are.

I do not object to conservatives as people, and I share their hopes for this country.

But no conservative has ever been able to explain to me why the poor
must bear the burden of bad schools, no health care, the mortgage cirsis and bank bailout (result is unemployment), when the banks and hedge fund managers are taking in more now than they ever were.

The tax issue is a fight over tax on the wealthy staying at 39% or being reduced to 36%.  You can;t tell me that a difference as small as that means much to a wealthy person, and we have so many.  The top 2% of our population control over 90% of the wealth.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 3:43 pm

MINI—#2

Yet we have far more poor, whose needs are far greater.  Jewish immigrants to NY were the most generous and openhearted people when it came to the poor, and not just the Jewish or white poor.  They were the parents of liberals you seem to dislike so much.’

California universities are becoming out of reach.  Immigrants are scorned although we desperately need them to clean toilets and mow our lawns.

I am a capitalist.  I am for productive spending, not wasteful spending.  I am for better government, not bigger or smaller government.  I also beliueve that the free market needs regulation and that the Bush agenda has put us here, not Obama.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 3:50 pm

Mini—#3

There is also frequent racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia among conservatives.  And among those conservatives who are Jewish, I find an appalling disregard for the Palestinian poor, suffering under their own horrible “leaders”.

I am disappointed by any person, not just conservatives, who needs the comfort of extremism because they cannot keep two somewhat conflicting points of view in their head.

William F Buckley was far more reasonable than the craven bunch of radicals we have today influencing our policies far more than they desreve.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 3:54 pm

Mini—#4

You are not a bad person. But they way people derive their viewpoints is important.
As a citizen you have an obligation to stay informed and involved, and question as much as possible, yet I do not see the intellectual rigor among the loudest conservative voices.

Conservatives often foster inflammatory hysteria that is based on an agenda to support the wealthiest, selfishness in general, a lack of concern for civility, science and the facts. They conceal an agenda that benefits people other than those they represent too often.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 3:57 pm

Mini—#5

Conservatives seem to react out of fear and/or anger and/or hatred, as though they are personally threatened by anything that does not benefit them immediately…and yesterday.They are short term thinkers with no imagination and no willingness to compromise.

I know this may not include you and others of good conscience, but we usually see see conservative ideas supported by hysteria and venom. 

I know much of this applies to many radical leftists as well, so spare me that comment.  But on the whole, I think the range of “conservative” ideas and agendas expressed these days are fraudulent, devious, and bankrupt.

Comment by THE LOGICIAN on 7/20/11 at 4:02 pm

1. Yes, based on your past rhetoric you do not just object to conservatives as people, you abhor them as vermin.
2.You can’t be serious asking me to summarize conservatism in 700 words or less. Read. Begin with Milton Friedman‘s ‘Capitalism and Freedom’, Shelby Steele’s ‘White Guilt’, cont. with Tom Sowell and F.A. Hayek. Your answers will be answered and you may never see life the same way again.

Comment by Mini on 7/20/11 at 4:34 pm

3. Define “poor.” Does a 64 years old Ivy League graduate who has turned down many job offers for interfering with his dream to be a rock star (w/no talent) qualifies as “poor”? How about the 26 years old who resigned from an $80k a year as a network tech to hang around and pursue a career as a professional gambler? I personally know both of them, they are both poor and have no insurance. I can give you more examples. Once we determine that not all poor are equal, we can tackle the problem more intelligently.

Comment by mini on 7/20/11 at 4:37 pm

4. On mortgage and financial institutions, no argument from me: Conservatives did not forgive McCain in 2008 for his support on it. But where was Obama? Check this: financial institutions contributed to O’s 2008 campaign $40 mil., vs. $29 mil to McCain. Lawyers and lobbyists $43 mil vs. $29 mil respectively. This may help you a better perspective about your liberal friends in Wash DC.

Comment by Mini, on 7/20/11 at 4:38 pm

Finally, dear Logician, I intend not pursue this with you further unless you answer my questions, including about your inability to hold your side to the same standards of conservatives.

Comment by Mini, on 7/20/11 at 4:41 pm

OK, one for the road: LIBERALS seem to react out of fear and/or anger and/or hatred, as though they are personally threatened by anything that does not benefit them immediately…and yesterday. They are short term thinkers with no imagination and no willingness to compromise. I know this may not include you and [many many other liberals] of good conscience, but we usually see LIBERAL ideas supported by hysteria and venom.”

Comment by Mini, on 7/20/11 at 4:48 pm

I see the “J"J censor has removed several of my posts.  Sorry folks, that what happens when you combine left wing sensibilities of the “J"J with the power to oppress.  Stalin probably started the same way.

Comment by george on 7/20/11 at 5:03 pm

can’t wait until science finally brings sanity to the world. science has given us the ability to free ourselves from the mentally oppresive regimes of religion. why then, in the educated world, do we continue to rely on the massive religious organizations to tell us what to believe? in general, religion makes us scared of each other. education in SCIENCE is necessary to dispell all myths as defined by religious rulers. with this new found intelligence, people won’t be so scared, murdochs won’t be dumbing down the news, and we will begin to heal our world of hurt that we ALL caused. Peace and sanity be to all.

Comment by peace on 7/20/11 at 5:40 pm

Mini—

I already acknowledged that this criticism could be applied to extremist leftiosts but was more relevant to right wing conservatives.

Once again, you have shown you don;t know how to read, nor do you have an original thought in your head.

Thanks for the compliment of the quotation. 

I never called anyone vermin.  Seems you or someone else here called Palestinians “viscious bugs”.  Forgive me if it was not you.

Milton Friedman is not the best to quote since he is hardly impartial and his work is decades old.
MOre later when I am perfectly willing to answer your every little need.

Comment by The Logician on 7/20/11 at 7:00 pm

Logician, I did not mean that you literally said we are vermin, though you may have said worse things. Anyway, thanks for the offer to replay later but don’t bother, really. There is very little I need from you. You have already given me a headache with your nonsense. You may wish to spend your time more productively otherwise.

Comment by Mini on 7/20/11 at 7:36 pm

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