*UPADTED* Credibility Credit Scores

Shrinkwrapped has an interesting post, A Modest Proposal, in which he discusses the recent events that that led to the tragic deaths in Gaza. He notes that,

In my post yesterday I suggested that we approach news of American and Israeli "atrocities" as if the burden of proof is upon the accusers. I would like to humbly suggest we arm ourselves with new weapons in order to blunt the effectiveness of the enemy's propaganda.

His remarks should not be taken lightly. As we noted earlier today in Assumptions, Values And Credibility,

As a society and as a nation, we can and should make assumptions about crime and intent- and those assumptions are properly based on previous behavior and associations. It is in out best interests to make those assumptions, because in doing so, we help to preserve ourselves and our society.

We don't go into bad neighborhoods because we rightly assume there is a possibility there might be trouble. We are right to make those assumptions, based on past performances and realities. We are right not to expose our children and loved ones to danger. In fact, that is a responsibility.

The Palestinians- and for that matter, much of the Arab world- have a long history of relegating truth as optional, when it served their purpose. The Mohammed Al Dura tragedy, and the 'massacre' at Jenin that never happened are two of the more egregious examples of a propensity to pass off delibertate falsehoods as truths.

There are other examples of these kinds of deliberate falsehoods, of course. Palestinian media and clergy have accused Israel of wantonly spreading AIDS, poisoning water, and using depleted uranium in all kinds of ways. Women are being raped with regularity, children are being slaughtered so their blood might be used in Jewish ritual foods and milk is tainted so as to sterilize Palestinian children.

When the intifadah began, breathless Palestinian reporters on PA controlled Voice of Palestine, gravely announced that Israeli fighter bombers were taking off from Israeli aircraft carriers.

One particularly humerous incident occured when a 'victim' of an Israeli 'attack' fell off his funeral bier, promptly climbed back on and covered himself with the Palestinian flag. to the cheers of hundreds of gun toting Palestinian mourners.

There are hundreds of other examples.

When the Israelis are at fault, they 'come clean,' no matter how bad the PR implications. Given the track record of the Palestinians, we are correct to assume that in virtually all matters, they are not telling the truth. We have never been given a reason to believe the Palestinians are a source of credibility. The PA have never admitted to or corrected any errors or falsehoods, and in fact, they go to great lengths in the attempt to maintain the deception.

As we have noted many times before, the real 'naqbah' has been audio and video tape.

In Dealing With Dysfunction, we noted that

As a society and a culture, the Palestinians are severly dysfunctional, kept that way by an even more dysfunctional Arab world. That is indisputable- and as such, the current Palestinian leadership is incapable of acting in a way that best serves Palestinian interests.

...The idea that a government led by those who would send suicide bombers (including retarded children) into civilian populations, is capable of negotiating a fair agreement is absurd. Is it unreasonable to assume that if negotiations don't satisfy everyone, we might see another wave of suicide bombers?

...Does anyone believe their pious words, spoken with such reasonableness in European languages, can disguise their continued refusal to recognize Israel and promise her destruction, uttered with the regularity of the muezzin's call to prayer? Are the dysfunctional behaviors that hard to recognize? Of course not. To be sure, it is only difficult for others, equally dysfunctional, to see.

...Have you wondered why there were never any PR campaigns that featured 5,000 beautiful little blue eyed Palestinian 8 year old girls, blocking bulldozers? That would have been the made in Paradise Palestinian dream PR campaign. Well, that never happened because the construction companies that built the 'settlements' were owned by members of Yasser Arafat's cabinet. Those construction companies were supplied with labor from Hamas money big wigs (that was why there were never any Hamas demonstrations against the settlement construction), who received a few shekels per hour for each of the thousands of workers they provided. There was never a single attack directed at settlement construction crews.

Clearly, Palestinian leadership has always made financial corruption a primary part of their agenda. Can these dysfunctional groups really be counted on to have the best interests of the Palestinians at heart?

When the Israelis look for solutions, they turn to other western democracies for advice and counsel. The Palestinians look to the Arab world- a uniquely dysfunctional and detached from reality assemblage of dictators, tyrants and despots. From Muammer Qaddafi to Saudis, the Palestinians can choose political, moral and religious advice from a smörgåsbord of the most dysfunctional regimes in the world.

Simply put, the credibility credit score of the Palestinian regime is almost non existent.

Decades of long suffering Palestinians deserve better. They- and not the PA- are the ones paying the bills.

*UPDATED*

The cycle continues. There is a concerted attempt by the PA to discredit the Israeli version of events that led to the deaths on a Gaza beach. They point to a report issued by a Human Rights Watch observer, Mark Garlasco, who makes the assertion that it was an Israeli shell that caused the tragedy.

Mr Garlasco's bona fides as an expert has not been verified by independent sources. In addition, we do know thay HRW has long been at the fore of organizations that are loud and quick to demonize Israel and slow and silent when errors need to be retracted. The phony 'Jenin Massacre' comes to mind. With that in mind, it bears repeating that Garlasco is the author of Razing Rafah, a paper replete with errors and unverifiable claims.

Garlasco makes no effort to explain the discrepencies between his assertions and Israeli claims and evidence to the contrary. Nor does Garlasco address the open efforts by the PA to alter evidence as necessary. PA media has been running falsified TV footage of the Gaza deaths, blaming the Israeli navy. Expect that PA video to disappear, now that the evidence that the rocket did not come from the sea.

In fact, there is no reason to take Garlasco's version of events more than the Israeli version.

Garlasco concurs with that. The USA Today reports

"Garlasco said more work needs to be done before a solid conclusion can be drawn.

Don't expect to see that on PA TV.