Sheldon Adelson’s paper on Romney’s latest gaffe: ‘It will help him’

By Noam Sheizaf September 19, 2012 | Edit

The most widely read paper in Israel believes that Romney basically told the truth about the ’47 percent.’

Except for the radical fringe of the Republican Party, there is almost an absolute consensus that Mitt Romney’s “47 percent” remark was stupid and damaging to his candidacy. A story on Politico yesterday quoted the many attacks on Romney from leading right-wing columnists, among them Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, Bill Kristol, Jonah Goldberg, Michael Warren, David Frum and more.

Yet in Israel, Sheldon Adelson’s paper, Israel Hayom, chose to put a different spin to the affair. Quoting an interview by Ann Coulter to Newsmax, a headline at the top of the page declares that “Romney is completely right.” Half of the story is dedicated to the Coulter interview, alongside quotes from Romney’s recent op-ed in USA Today. The only different view is presented by a couple of short sentences from Obama’s interview to talk show host David Letterman, buried deep in the text. The subheadline sums it all up: “Pundits believe that the current affair will help Romney.”

Sheldon Adelson's paper on Romney's latest gaffe: 'It will help him'

Israel Hayom story on Mitt Romney, September 20 2012

The paper also ran an editorial by top analyst Dror Eydar regarding the GOP nominee’s remarks on the Palestinian issue. Eydar writes: “What did Romney say? The truth.” A few months ago it was revealed by Channel 10 that while serving as a reporter and pundit of Israel Hayom, Eydar was also on the payroll of the Prime Minister Office, directly employed under Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon. Eydar later confirmed the report, stating that he has no problem working with people he writes about.

This would be funny if Israel Hayom, which is distributed for free at considerable losses, weren’t the most widely read daily in Israel, and the only paper through which many Israelis get their news.

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TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence. We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies. This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza. We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives. Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

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