Understanding the power of words, Yitschak Ben-Gad complains that some segments of the media refer to the ”Occupied West Bank” and ”Israeli-Occupied Gaza” (Voice, June 15). He would rather have everyone call these territories ”Judea and Samaria,” or the ”disputed territories” or simply
”The West Bank and Gaza.”
In short, Mr. Ben-Gad wants the media to use vocabulary favorable to his political views. The West Bank is ”Judea and Samaria,” and the territories are ”disputed,” only from the point of view of the Zionists. Most of the rest of the world does not see it that way at all.
Mr. Ben-Gad refers to Israel as having ”captured” the Gaza Strip. This pro-Zionist abuse of language is extremely widespread in the American media.
The West Bank and Gaza are not wilderness lands that are fair game to be
”captured” and laid claim to. They are lands occupied for centuries by a civilized people with a concept of law, legal title to their lands and homes, and aspirations for political sovereignty.
What happened to them, in anybody`s language, is that they were conquered and are presently occupied by a foreign force that is depriving them of their freedom, their lands and their nationhood.
