December 4, 2001

Dear NPR News,

It seems that because 26 Israelis were killed, you have become even more hysterical than the Israeli media. In particular, you have apparently stopped reporting on Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks.

This morning, neither Peter Kenyon's news spot on the 7 AM ET news cast, nor Linda Gradstein's report on Morning Edition mentioned that at least three Palestinians, including one child have been killed today in Israeli vengeance attacks and that a number of Palestinian school children were injured when American-built and bought Israeli F-16's bombed their school in Gaza City.

The French news agency reported this morning that:

"A 25-year-old member of Palestinian preventative security, Mohammed Ahmed Siam, and a 15-year-old student were killed when F-16s bombarded the preventative security headquarters in northern Gaza City, said the head of the emergency department at the Al-Shifa hospital here, Mowia Abu Hasaneen. He added that many of the wounded were students because the headquarters was located across the street from a school, which was being let out for the day." (AFP, Israeli air strikes kill two Palestinians in Gaza, December 4)

The Associated Press account of the same incident said that:

"In the Gaza Strip, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli missile attack on a security installation, doctors said. The rockets sent hundreds of school children running for cover. Some were bundled into ambulances, while others stumbled as they tried to get away. "Sharon has declared war on us. God help up," said Ayman Abdul Jawad, 13, running in the street with friends, blood on his head." (AP, Israeli missiles hit near Arafat's office in West Bank, strike building near Gaza school, December 4, 2001)

The agency reported that more than 200 other people were treated for shock. Al-Jazeera showed schoolchildren running and screaming in panic as explosions covered them with dust.

Earlier, 28 year-old Ahmjad Tubaseh a member of Fatah was shot in the head and killed by Israeli occupation forces near Nablus according to another report from AFP.

On Monday five Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli occupation forces in two separate incidents, another fact that NPR simply shelved.

In addition to these deadly attacks--which are ongoing--Israeli tanks entered the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh.

NPR's shocking failure to report these facts as well as its continued propaganda broadcasts by Daniel Schorr are a shameful and unacceptable indictment of any claim you pretend to objectivity.

SIncerely,

Ali Abunimah
www.abunimah.org