I was surprised to read Mr. Alon Liel’s article, “Israel: to be ashamed or not to be ashamed”. Liel’s articles normally keep to a professional tone, but this article, seems lacking. A few key pieces of information were left out of the article, I wonder if purposely or is it just, for lack of a better term, sloppy?
Firstly, the “full disclosure” is anything but. The article mentioned that Liel has filled as the director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, and for Ambassador of Israel to South Africa. That only covers past positions, without mention of his present job. In my mind, it is critical for your readers to know the full picture and actually receive a full disclosure. Liel is currently a board member of a few extreme left organizations that receive foreign donations and amongst other things - criticize Israel. In other words – this article was not written by a retired diplomat – but as someone that criticizes Israel as part of his daily job. Relevant or not – you decide. But Full disclosure should be just that, and Liel evaded doing so for his reasons. Unlike Liel, I will fully disclose my current position, so the reader can understand why I’ve answered as such.
Another word missing from Liel’s article is “border”. The writer forgot, somehow, to mention that the injured in Gaza were trying to forcefully cross a recognized international border with Israel. Why did they want to enter Israeli neighborhoods wielding weapons? Well, it would be hard to understand from Liel’s article, because he also forgot the words “terror attacks”.
Those terror attacks are carried out by Hamas. Ah, yes - Hamas, the same internationally recognized terror organization. The same organization that shot thousands of rockets at Israel, and uses all the cement in Gaza, not to build schools for citizens, but to dig tens of tunnels into Israeli territory. The same organization that uses: Gaza residents, reporters, and the disabled, as human shields. The same organization that even the Palestinian authority can’t reach agreements with. You won’t be surprised at this point that the word “Hamas” was also missing from the article.
Liel has left out so many important elements in one article. Sloppy or purposely? you can decide.
Lior Keinan, Ambassador of Israel to South Africa.