A large H/T to Akus

Below is the title and subheading of Harriet Sherwood’s Aug. 17 piece about Jerusalem’s Light Rail Project, Jerusalem’s long-awaited light railway splits opinion, which, as I commented on yesterday, was characterized as a violation of international law, 

It includes the original reference to a “Jewish grip” on E. Jerusalem, which I underlined in red: (via a cached version of the page).

The subheading was subsequently changed to “Israeli grip”:

The offensive phrase was also originally used in the following passage in Sherwood’s report:

“The project’s many critics include those who believe that, in a city with a long history of bombings, the light railway is vulnerable to attack. Others claim it is the latest example of the tightening Jewish grip on the Arab east of the city, part of an attempt to create an indivisible Jerusalem.

And, was likewise revised to:

The project’s many critics include those who believe that, in a city with a long history of bombings, the light railway is vulnerable to attack. There are others who claim it is the latest example of the tightening Israeli grip on the Arab east of the city, part of an attempt to create an indivisible Jerusalem.

The revised edition has this editor’s note:

• This article has been amended to correct language inconsistent with Guardian editorial guidelines

 Of course, in addition to the question of who precisely, per Sherwood’s quote, characterized the railway as an example of a tightening “Jewish grip” on Jerusalem, it’s hard to comprehend the argument.

How, precisely, can a public transportation system, whether buses or light rail, which serves Arab as well as Jewish neighborhoods be seen as something sinister – yet alone a “violation of international law”.

Do we really even need to ask how Sherwood would have covered the story if the light railway only served Jewish neighborhoods?  Is there really any doubt that such a railway which excluded Arab neighborhoods would have been characterized as racist?

A violation of international law or racism?

Either way, Sherwood’s desired narrative of Israel is assured.

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