Letter in Response to AJN piece below

Dear Sir,

Senator Santo Santoro has been poorly treated by the Australian Jewish News (News Briefs, AJN 27/5/05). I read the Senate transcript in which Senator Santoro apologized to Triple J. This apology is the first paragraph of a 25 page document. The other 24.9 pages deal with the ABC’s inconsistent manner of reporting terrorism within the Israel/Palestinian context as compared with the rest of the world.

Your reporter apparently summarized all Santoro’s examples of inconsistent reporting in the simple phrase “…has pursued the ABC…”. Surely AJN readers would be interested in seeing at least some of his documented examples. Santoro also released a Press statement which was sent to the AJN summarizing his contention regarding the ABC: “There is a double standard here that reflects no credit on the ABC and actively undermines its claims to objectivity. It lends weight to the perception that its broadcast stance is anti Israel”.

The AJN have overlooked this pivotal point. Is it lazy journalism or is it a case of Michael Cavanagh defending his ex employer, the ABC?

A simple examination of the press release and the transcript will reveal that Santoro is a champion for Israel.

Jewish News article on Sen. Santoro

Australian Jewish News

25-May-05

SENATOR FORCED TO APOLOGISE OVER FALSE 'JEW' COMMENT

ALLEGATIONS of antisemitic comments by an ABC presenter have backfired, leading to an embarrassing back down by a Liberal Party backbencher.

Queensland's Senator Santo Santoro, who has pursued the ABC in numerous committee hearings, had referred to an interview conducted by Triple J's Steve Cannane last November.

Senator Santoro informed a Senate committee hearing that Cannane had referred to "those awful Jews" in an interview about the former Israeli nuclear technician, Mordechai Vannunu, who was imprisoned for releasing details of his country's nuclear program.

At the time of the accusation Santoro conceded he did not have a transcript of the interview, but then went on to quote the "gist" of the exchange. However, Greens Leader Bob Brown has since told the Upper House that a review of theTriple J interview confirmed that Cannane had put "no such questions" forward a point conceded by Santoro who apologised stating, "It was clear that I was misinformed."

MICHAELCAVANAGH