The CBS News headline, later changed, on the story of the stabbing last week of border policewoman Hadar Cohen.
Angry journalists, who initially boycotted the session, describe subcommittee's claims to be part of a 'witch hunt,' and slam Israel's 'authoritarian' efforts to clamp down on the media.A subcommittee of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee called in members of the Foreign Press Association on Tuesday to discuss their reporting of terrorism and the occupation in Israel. Along with the invitation to the session, FPA members received a questionnaire relating to the "biased coverage" of some of the media outlets.
Angered by the request to discuss the content of their reports, the organization initially decided to boycott the meeting. However, FPA head Luke Baker eventually relented after a conversation with MK Tzipi Livni (Zionist Camp), the head of the Subcommittee for Foreign Policy, Public Relations, and the Political Struggle.
In a conversation with
Haaretz in advance of the session, Baker, Reuters' bureau chief, said: "We agreed to come and hear what they had to say, although on the face of it, this looks like an attempt at a
witch hunt."
Comment: This can hardly be considered a threat but this reaction from law enforcement is to be expected when living in a fascist state.