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Another Israeli Land Dispute

How to write a Mideast trend piece

by
Marc Tracy
August 26, 2010
Bedouins in Al Araqib.(Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times)
Bedouins in Al Araqib.(Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times)

Yesterday, it was How To Write a Yiddish Trend Piece. Today’s lesson? How To Write a Mideast Trend Piece.

Headline implying this can all mostly be chalked up to the narcissism of small differences: Check.

Opening anecdote involving peaceful practice of benign religious ritual: Check.

“Then the bulldozers arrived at dawn”: Check.

Justify article by noting that this small conflict is in fact microcosmic of the larger one: Check.

Note that yet at the same time this one conflict is unique and idiosyncratic (in this case, the Arabs in question are Israeli Bedouins, not Palestinians): Check.

Quote Israeli spokesperson to the effect that Israel is acting within the law: Check.

Quote esteemed left-wing Israeli professor begrudgingly agreeing but nonetheless disagreeing with Israeli policy: Check.

Buttress that with prominent left-wing Israeli novelist (in this case, Amos Oz): Check.

Close on Jews and Muslims protesting Israeli policy together: Check.

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.