Dear Associated Press,

I'm finally emailing you to get you to be more accurate in your reporting on the Mideast conflict. Like most of the U.S. media I think you are biased in favor of the Israeli side instead of being objective. I see this over and over.

For instance, as I read the Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) on the 24th of May, an article titled "Palestinians face new Israeli restrictions," a paragraph half way through the article refered to a Jewish settlement as a neighborhood. The same sentence states the "neighborhood," was built on "war-won land."

An Arab paper would probably say, "An illegal settlement built on Palestinian land illegally taken by the occupation forces of Israel." I would call that factual reporting instead of coloring it with neutral language.

U.N. Res. 242 plainly forbids the acquisition of territory by war. International law also prohibits an occupying nation from transfering its population to the territory it occupies. These laws are for the protection of all peoples. When you ignore them in your reporting, you in effect negate them and make of them as unimportant. If the Palestinians were doing the same thing to the Israelis, the buildings would not be sweet little neighborhoods. Provocative hostile actions by the aggressive Arabs would come to mind in that case. And the Arabs, caught in the act would dismantal them immediately. How many settlements will have to be built on Palestinian land before they are condemned by your reporters for the terrible sources of anger and hatred they produce. Please call them what they are: illegal.

Instead, why don't you ask Sharon why he continues to build these provocative Israeli-only settlements and Israeli-only roads if he really wants peace. And ask our politicians why we continue to give the Israelis the billions it takes to do this.

More and more citizens are asking these questions every day.

Doug Willbanks

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