Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to Times correspondent Sheera Frenkel on 5 November 2008 about her coverage of Israel / Palestine:

Dear Sheera,
 
I'd like to respectfully offer a point of feedback on your article "Six Palestinians killed in fresh battle in Gaza" in today's Times:
 
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5085238.ece
 
I take issue with your statement: "Israel forged a truce with the militant Hamas group in June, ending a year-long deadly cycle of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israel reprisals." This portrays Palestinians as the inherent aggressors, and Israelis as mere defenders. There are motives behind the rocket attacks from Gaza, whether one agress with them or not. They're carried out in an environment of occupation, dispossession, military attacks and economic siege - all carried out by Israel. Thus to portray one side (in this case the Palestinians) as instigators of violence, and the other side as merely defending themselves, is inaccurate and unfair. Surely more balanced wording is possible.
 
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this matter. Thank you for your time and consideration.
 
Kind regards,
 
Sharif Nashashibi
Chairman
Arab Media Watch