During the two weeks ending March 5, over 100 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, over half civilians, including many children. During that same period four Israelis were killed, including one civilian. On March 6, eight Israeli seminary students in West Jerusalem were killed by a Palestinian gunman from East Jerusalem.

This carnage, however, is not accurately described as “retaliation” by either side. Instead, it is over 90 years of British, Israeli, and American efforts to promote a Jewish homeland and state while suppressing the Palestinian national movement and its efforts toward a viable state on even a fraction of its native land. Gaza characterizes the one-sided nature of this struggle, more accurately described as one of eviction, dispossession, confinement and resistance.

In this light, I object to DI coverage of this conflict, relying exclusively on AP wire stories reflecting the mainstream media’s bias. The headlines for reports of March 3-6 are illustrative: “Ashkelon (Israel) becomes battleground as Hamas rockets hit” (Monday); “Israel uses unmanned aircraft technology to attack Gaza” (Tuesday) and “Palestine agrees to negotiate with Israel” (Thursday).

In these reports, Palestinian deaths are mentioned only in passing and the horrible plight of the living disappears, while the relentless nature of the ongoing Zionist project against desperate and virtually defenseless Palestinians goes unmentioned.

On Feb. 28, I was privileged to speak to over 200 students who filled Gregory Hall 100 to view “Occupation 101,” an accurate depiction of the U.S.-Israeli criminal enterprise. The curiosity, fairness and compassion of the questioners were apparent.

Unfortunately, these qualities are not reflected either by DI coverage or by a University that in various ways, from the chancellor on down with just a few notable exceptions, has institutionalized its support for perpetrators against victims in this ongoing catastrophe for basic human rights and human life.