Innocent Teen or Armed Terrorist? New York Paper Can’t Tell the Difference

New York Post’s headline insinuates that the Israelis are child killers.

By Simon Plosker, Honest Reporting

Meet Mahdi Hashash, who was killed during clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces protecting a group of Jewish worshipers visiting Joseph’s Tomb on the outskirts of the city of Nablus in Samaria in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Hashash was apparently placing an explosive device when Israeli troops opened fire. He died after his bomb detonated, spraying Hashash with shrapnel.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades immediately claimed Hashash as one of their own.

Hashash was 15 years old.

Does Hashash’s young age diminish the fact that he was an armed combatant and an active member of a terrorist organization?

It shouldn’t.

The Associated Press, however, ran its initial story under the headline “Palestinian teen, man killed by Israeli forces in West Bank” before updating to the more neutral “Palestinians say 2 killed by Israeli forces in West Bank.”

Unfortunately, it appears that the New York Post didn’t get the memo.

Simply stating that a “Palestinian teen” was killed by Israeli forces is not only misleading but also frames the story as one where an Israeli aggressor has killed an innocent Palestinian youth. At worst, it falsely accuses Israel of being a child killer.

It’s reasonable to ask questions as to how a 15-year-old becomes an armed terrorist, including addressing incitement in the Palestinian media and education system. But it should in no way present Mahdhi Hashash as an innocent teen.

HonestReporting has requested the New York Post update its headline to reflect the reality of the story.