Who's Kidnapping Who?
Ron Ross
Bridges for Peace News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com
13th April 2007
Did $2,000,000 change hands to secure the release of Fox News staffers Steve Centanni and Olaf Wilg.
Both were kidnapped in Gaza in what has become a lucrative business.
Fox News executives say, 'No such thing happened" when question about the cash for release deal but the Israel Government Press Office has circulated the possibility in a recent publication.
The same report links the Durmoush family from Gaza in an activity described as: Kidnapping foreign journalists for ransom.
Alan Johnston, a BBC correspondent has now been held captive for three weeks and the GPO report makes me wonder whether the money said to be paid for the release of Centanni and Wilg encouraged Johnston's current plight.
Johnston statistically is the 15th victim kidnapped in recent times.
The $2,000,000 incentive is too much for some ambitious terrorists to resist.
But there is another twist to the GPO slant on this trend. They say local photographers are helping the kidnappers nab the foreigners who are seen as competition. They encroach on their turf and take a chunk out of their lucrative revenue, so why not deal with the problem?
Most foreign press live in Jerusalem and commute to the Palestinian territories when the story requires.
Johnston was unique. The veteran journo chose to make his home in Gaza, not a smart career decision.
It is laughable. So many foreign journalists love to stick to the Jews and the democratic system of Israel but that's where they run at night for security and peace.
Fox News denied any ranson was paid. "The kidnappers did not receive a thing," they said.
The GPO in their assessment said, "Despite Fox network's denials, somebody is growing fat and wealthy from this new lucrative profession."
Fox News withdrew their presence from Ramallah. They commute now.
The GPO said, "Since the incident, Fox's security regulations have changed. The network refused to give details of their new procedures.
"For now we have no permanent crew in the Gaza Strip," said a senior Fox official, "We do not have a permanent crew, nor did we have one prior to the kidnapping.
The crew was there for a period because the ongoing situation warranted it. If there is a special reason we send a crew, whether for a week or a day. Regarding regulations, I am not interested in expanding. Either way, there are always concerns when going to Gaza."
"The journalist sits in Jerusalem, or any other secure city, and ventures to Gaza only when an incident necessitates the risk," the GPO advice read.
The fact foreign journalists are easy prey is one thing.
The fact that these people from foreign lands cannot work freely and legitimately in the Palestinian climate should scream a warning to the world which is making every attempt to kidnap Israel and its right to live democratically in this region.
If your foreign press cannot live and work in the present Palestinian society, how can they ever be afforded the privileges of statehood?
Won't that decision just legitimize a society that believes kidnapping, bullying and stand-over behavior is a way of life?
Who's being kidnapped here?
We should all pray for the release of Alan Johnstone.
Pray for his safety and security and pray for his family.
We should also pray for the people around the world who want to blame Israel for every wrongdoing within the Palestinian society.
'The Devil made me doing it," is not an excuse acceptable to God, and He will not accept Israel as the scapegoat for the deplorable behavior of the people perpetrating these crimes inside the Palestinian territories.
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Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com |
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