The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:2)
Fox News Channel (FNC) grandstands about its ‘fair and balanced’ coverage. It has long prided itself on this, especially in its reporting on Israel in a world alongside the likes of the rabidly pro-Arab CNN and BBC.
With one or two noticeable exceptions – Geraldo Rivera, Bethlehem-based FNC ‘war correspondent’ during the Oslo War (AKA Second Intifada) comes most readily to mind – Fox has seemingly sought to field even-handed reporters to cover the Israeli-Arab divide.
As it turns out, in today’s climate, political correctness takes no prisoners and even the most fair-minded journalists, by and large, have crossed the divide to root for the immoral Two State Solution. As dangerous as Israel’s more blatant foes, they relentlessly push Two States while smiling and reassuring the Jews of their undying friendship.
Those of us in the know are familiar with the subtext in the seemingly guileless, “some of my best friends are Jews.” It is the classic lie giver to those who claim to eschew history’s most persistent of prejudices.
In a recent case in point – and one that must have taken some loyal viewers by surprise – veteran Fox anchors Shepherd Smith and Chris Wallace come right out of the closet in a dual skewering effort on January 23.
You can view the shameful performance here, and read about it here.
The purported targets were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and House Speaker John Boehner – the latter for “circumventing” President Barack Obama and inviting Netanyahu to address both Houses of Congress on the Iranian nuclear threat, the former for accepting the invitation.
In point of fact, however, it turned out the Jewish people in the Jewish state were the object of Smith and Wallace’s indignation and scorn.
And the two men played a twin act of bluster behind the desk and guileless disbelief in the field, that was discomforting to watch for the way it revealed the bias of two of the station’s most prominent personalities.
Here is a sample of their unfortunate remarks:
‘Shep’ Smith, in an aggrieved tone, outlandishly charging that Israelis were out of touch with reality: “It seems like they think we don’t pay attention and that we’re just a bunch of complete morons,” he fumed, “as if we wouldn’t pick up on what’s happening here.”
Smith, quoting notorious Australian-raised-and-rejected anti-Israel diplomat Martin Indyk: “Netanyahu is using the Republican Congress address for a photo op for his election campaign, and the Republicans are using Bibi for their campaign against Obama. Unfortunately, the US relationship [with Israel] will take the hit.”
Wallace, nodding with vigorous agreement at the quote and adding an insight or two of his own: “He’s a hundred percent right; ” the behaviour of the American and Israeli lawmakers had been nothing short, “forgive me,” of “wicked.”
Wallace, warming to his topic, in disclosure mode: that according to a conveniently unnamed “flabbergasted top White House official,” Israeli ambassador to the US Ron Dermer had deliberately deceived Secretary of State John Kerry by not mentioning the possibility of a Netanyahu address when meeting with the American.
Wallace again, assessing the above outrage: “I have to say, I’m shocked.”
In this vein it continued, the mutual indignation, the batting back and forth, as the two men built ‘a case’ against Netanyahu, perpetuating Indyk’s slur about the Israeli premier being in election mode, with his heart motive – which Smith and Wallace clearly had privy to – being to flip the birdie at the American president (who has stooped to try and influence Israeli voters against their prime minister) and by extension at millions of American people, and at the same time try to garner popular American support for his return to the premiership.
For as every ‘good’ Israel-based/focused journo knows – the Israeli politician most likely to win the most votes is he/she who prioritises making nice to the United States.
“Yep,” as the twosome conclusively chose to read it, Netanyahu was not coming to urgently address the American people via Congress on the looming threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon whose acquisition – critically close and made imminently possible by the Obama administration’s soft-gloved handling of the demons in Tehran – will immediately threaten Israel, shortly thereafter threaten America, and exacerbate the Middle East nuclear arms race it has already provoked, irreversibly changing the world for the worse for us all.
Oh no, the entire business was a transparent manipulation of upstanding US citizens, and it would never succeed.
There is an ugly Middle Ages subtext in evidence here, and there it sat, under the veneer of newshounding, just below the surface of Wallace and Smith’s ruffled American pride, their patriotic disbelief that Israel would even attempt to play the American public (who are the morons here, the pair’s tone seemed to suggest): the implied belief that ‘those Jews’ are out to influence the world.
Like a pair of bloodhounds sniffing out a scent, following the trail from Bibi to Boehner (who, Smith judged, had demonstrated by “his political stunt” that he was clearly in cahoots with the Israeli) Wallace and Smith appeared to arrive at some kind of imagined and nefarious conspiracy against the US president being cooked up by the extreme right wing in both the US and Israel.
What world – one has to wonder – do these men and a myriad other American box buffs like them live in, when such medieval thinking persists into the modern age?
Said Wallace, appearing somewhat baffled at Israel’s perceived poor diplomacy: “Even when they’re fighting with each other, the Israelis want to know that the US has their back.”
Who knows how a faith meter would read when held up against these two men. Apparently not believers themselves, they cannot be expected to speak real truth. But what Christians need to keep telling Israel, loud and clear and over and over, is that it is God Who has her back, and not the US. Her Hebrew Bible is full of His promises to restore her and keep her. He is God Who does not lie and He has her back. Not the US, but Him.
I guess for 6-figure-earners like Wallace and Smith, it’s easy to interpret Boehner and Bibi’s behavior as being all about politics.
It is probably asking too much to expect them to appreciate the reality that remains raw and fresh in the minds of the Jews – that, just the other day, the world stood silently by while a third of their nation was wiped out.
Perhaps, if they had even just a small sense of the enormity of the threat Israel’s six million feel is facing them today, those two would take care to keep their comments a little less presumptuous and condescending.
I guess for them it’s easy. As far as they see this, they are not in the frontline facing an existential threat to their nation.
Not yet, of course…
In any case, in the run-up to Israel’s elections next month, the ones playing at politics are those who, helped by the likes of Smith and Wallace, are clambering onto the Bibi bashing bandwagon in a frenzied effort to prevent the return to office of the man understood – even by many of his knee-jerk opponents in Israel – as the only one suited to be prime minister at this time.
If G-d is for us who can be against us,I wiil never leave u or forsake u. The Lord Bless Israel,Jesu was from the tribe of Juda he was a Jew we owe our all to the nation.When the Lord comes in judgment u better be on the side of The Lord Jesus Christ an d Israel read the prophecy in Rev the armies that come against Israel the blood of the slain will be the depth of the hight of a horse and flow for miles.,all is coming together for that terrible day for the forces of antichrist.
And also the judgment of the nations USA & UK b eware whose side u r on GOD BLESS ISRAEL.
No wonder- we need to be careful what we listen to- unbelievers trying to make judgements in pride and arrogance. Sad that even Fox News is now part of this campaign. But we trust in HaShem alone, and thank Him for faithful, honest reporting from men like Stan, who has lived and worked in the land for is it 25 years?
Yes it is sad enough for the American media to behave like that. What I find frightening is the Israeli press and some of the Israeli Politician i.e Livni , Herzog etc.., behaving even worse, using Obama and co. to bring down Netanjahu and his government. I pray to the Holy One of Israel that He will bring down any plan of the wicked and givde Israel’s people clear understanding for whom to vote and not be blinded by empty promisies and lies.
Stan,
“Fair and Balanced?” Goes to prove the truth of God’s Word -1Jo 3:12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. and Ro 7:14 ¶ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Thank you for your teaching and your Love for the truth.
Wayne & Anna Marie Helmuth
Jew hatred is always there, and morphs from generation to generation. The fact that “Jews” like Wallace (whose father, Mike, was a bully, coward, and self-hating Jew, as well, IMHO) can waltz thru their presentations with impunity speaks volumes about the arrogance of media “even-handedness”, which is nothing less than a complete disregard of historical and moral imperatives. There is no such ethnicity as Palestinian. This “stateless” people are the hapless pawns of the Arab-Islamic animus toward those through whom the blessings of Abraham pass, an amalgamation of disenfranchised Arabs (and Edomites, IMHO) whose DNA pulsates with envy and resentment toward a people who have succeeded where they have failed. Every Arab or Muslim fortunate enough to enjoy the freedom s/he has in Israel should thank the God of Abraham everyday that that is their good fortune.
In the church world, I think the church needs to take on the responsibility that a lot of our world problems might not exist as bad as they do when it comes to some things. For instance, this 2 state solution is wicked and is not blessed of GOD, and if our church world leaders had decreed as one together to uniformly educate the world about how this solution cannot work according to all bible scriptures, then maybe a lot of christian government officials would have understand that fact and would have work together as one to have changed the course of governments in that: many world governments might not have ever desired a two state solution for Israel in the first place.
G-d tells us from Gen to Rev that those who do not bless Israel are cursed. even the ones who are not for or against Her. We all know in the end, that Israel wins. The wickedness in high places trying to bring Her down is just prophecy being fulfilled. Paul in Romans warns us too as Israel gave us the G-d of Israel , the diciples and scripture, we owe Her a debt. Anyone who is against Israel is against Almighty G-d. The great apostasy is here and G-d let’s us know it will continue till He says done…Israel has and still blesses the whole world. We also can see the judgement of G-d coming on America. So..we stand with Israel, love Her and bless Her all we can and we know Israel will win all the wars coming onto the world. and in the last war, G-d Himself will roar thru Zion and destroy all the enemies. Pray without ceasing, stay in the WORD so we don’t become confused as the false teachers are in the world and G-d says when they refuse the truth, HE would send a lie to believe , and we see that too. G-d bless Israel forever and HE will and soon HE IS COMING.. Shalom
Thanks Stan for your observations. Clinton managed to bring about Netanyahu’s defeat before and Obama is massing larger forces this time hoping to ensure history is repeated. Much prayer and intercession needed!
Wallace is cut from the same cloth as his father and he shares in his globalist mindset. Men with a globalist, secular world view see the nation of Israel as a stumbling block to what they covet most – the utopian pipe-dream known as world peace. It is impossible for them to see reality because the devil has blinded them from the truth. As you have stated in your article Fox News usually does better than most, but we must remember that ALL of the news outlets in the U.S. have pledged fealty to the globalists and they will always seek to place Israel in the worst light possible.
PM Netanyahu is well versed on what the WH is after and he is the only one strong enough to stand his ground for the sake of Israel. The Obama administration is doing the same dirty tactics in Israel that they are doing in America. Problem is…it may work if people don’t wake up. The media will MAYBE change their minds when ISIS has killed enough American, or, maybe Islam has to take over before they will. Blind, blind leading the blind. Our One True, Living God is still in control and prophesy will be fulfilled.
I am sad to hear the comments that Wallace and Smith had to make, but we do live in a fallen world. God is in control. God is the one who has Israel’s back and unfortunately she doesn’t even know or recognize it. I have been surprised that Israel hasn’t tried to remove the Iranian Nuclear threat before now, but just maybe that is not God’s plan. Thankfully we have read the back of the book and we know how it all will end. I agree that most on Fox and in the media in general do not really have a clue about the creator God of the Jewish people. But again, it seems to be happening just like the Bible says that it is going to happen. Not looking for the signs, I’m listening for the sound of the Trumpet. Maranatha, Come LORD Jesus!
I viewed the report and was shocked and angry at the negative reports of these mindless, spineless, fair weather ‘friends’. These make believers are just a sad joke.
It grieves my heart to see that people that we once respected would speak like this. Yes, Israel, God has your back, and there are many Christians who love your nation, and pray for you. You are the apple of God’s eye, and you are loved!
I agree with your assessment on FOX’s performance, as cited above. First, the Speaker of the House has the right to invite anyone to address the House on subjects of interest. If he would remember, ex-pres Clinton did receive PM Netanyahu in the Oval Office just prior to elections in Israel.
Although I speak for myself, I believe that POTUS is acting out of spite since Israel won’t do what he wants Israel to do. I pray for peace for Jerusalem and for the Israeli people.
Thanks for bringing this exchange to light. It’s unbelievable how Netanyahu is being pilloried from every angle, by Israeli opponents and internationals alike. Additionally, I was somewhat horrified with Shepherd Smith’s ramblings about “settlement expansion.” He has no idea what he’s talking about yet his unfounded criticisms were said with such outrage!
I hope you’re not surprised that two more IDIOTS have joined the chorus. Disgusted–yes; surprised–not at all.
This tatement says it all, “I guess for 6-figure-earners like Wallace and Smith, it’s easy to interpret Boehner and Bibi’s behavior as being all about politics”
Love of money is the root of all evil,. What is evil?, it is simply going against God’s word. If you are against Israel you are evil, you are in sin, 1John 3:4 says , Sin is transgressing God’s word.
The world is full of evil men!.