Another Israeli Land Dispute
How to write a Mideast trend piece
August 26, 2010
Bedouins in Al Araqib.(Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times)
Yesterday, it was How To Write a Yiddish Trend Piece. Today’s lesson? How To Write a Mideast Trend Piece.
Headline implying this can all mostly be chalked up to the narcissism of small differences: Check.
Opening anecdote involving peaceful practice of benign religious ritual: Check.
“Then the bulldozers arrived at dawn”: Check.
Justify article by noting that this small conflict is in fact microcosmic of the larger one: Check.
Note that yet at the same time this one conflict is unique and idiosyncratic (in this case, the Arabs in question are Israeli Bedouins, not Palestinians): Check.
Quote Israeli spokesperson to the effect that Israel is acting within the law: Check.
Quote esteemed left-wing Israeli professor begrudgingly agreeing but nonetheless disagreeing with Israeli policy: Check.
Buttress that with prominent left-wing Israeli novelist (in this case, Amos Oz): Check.
Close on Jews and Muslims protesting Israeli policy together: Check.
A Test of Wills Over a Patch of Desert [NYT]
Earlier: A Settled Schtick
Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.
