For more details, see the article Battle of Jenin 2002

The term Jenin massacre refers to claims that widespread murders and executions of civilians allegedly committed by the Israeli Defence Forces during the Battle of Jenin circulated by many media agencies and outlets in 2002.

Early reports of a massacre

Based on the reports, the United Nations special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen qualified the situation as "horrific beyond belief" [1].

Later investigations indicated that, although some human rights violations may have taken place, no basis for the claims of mass murder were found.

Some examples of such reports in the British media:

• Israel's actions in Jenin were "every bit as repellent" as Osama bin Laden's attack on New York on September 11, (Guardian, lead editorial, April 17 2002)
• "We are talking here of massacre, and a cover-up, of genocide," (a leading columnist for the Evening Standard, London's main evening newspaper, April 15.)
• "Rarely in more than a decade of war reporting from Bosnia, Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, have I seen such deliberate destruction, such disrespect for human life," (Janine di Giovanni, the London Times, April 16.)

Later reports

The tone changed around two weeks later:

• A massacre - in the usual sense - did not take place in Jenin. Whatever crimes were committed here - and it appears there were many - a calculated massacre of civilians by the Israeli army was not among them. [2] (Guardian Weekly, 25th April).
• Talking to people and talking to witnesses, even very credible witnesses, it just appears there was no wholesale killing. [3] (BBC quoting a British millitary 'expert' who visited the area, April 29th)
• The report says there was no massacre as the Palestinians have claimed, but it does accuse the Israeli army of committing war crimes. [4] (BBC quoting from a Human Rights Watch report on the issue, 3rd May)

External links

• Malicious and slanderous reports against Israel abound in the British press.
• A Study in Palestinian Duplicity and Media Indifference
• Jenin and Bethlehem
• IDF reservists file libel suit against director of banned "Jenin, Jenin" film
• Jenin Jenin Film-Maker Admits Fraud *Jenin Again!?
• The Big Lie