Engel: Israel waiting until Obama’s inauguration to let reporters into Gaza, when ‘viewers simply won’t care.’ (with video)
Faiz Shakir
Last night on The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC correspondent Richard Engel discussed Israel’s refusal to let reporters into Gaza. “I’ve called everyday and said ‘when are we going to be allowed in?’” he said, adding that one Israeli official “had an interesting explanation” for the situation. The official told Engel that Israel doesn’t want reporters in Gaza documenting the humanitarian situation or revealing military tactics. Israel is trying to “manage the image” of the war, Engel reported, adding this:
ENGEL: This official told me he expects this operation, while negotiations are taking place, will last several more days. And that after that, reporters would eventually be allowed in. But at that stage, Israel is assuming the United States will mostly be focused on all of the coverage around the inauguration, and that viewers simply won’t care at that point.
Watch it: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/08/engel-on-gaza-reporting/
On CNN, Campbell Brown urged Israel to let reporters into Gaza. “There is but one way to get a true picture of what is happening now. That is to allow journalists the access we need to tell this story with accuracy and with context.”