It's called Rawabi, an entirely new Palestinian city with an expected population of 40,000. It's located halfway between Jerusalem and Nablus. Its developers already have sold more than 600 apartments. But, no surprise, they've also encountered a few snags, especially from Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority. But that's not the way the New York Times reports Rawabi's problems. In an Aug. 11 dispatch, Jerusalem correspondent Isabel Kershner instead turns the tables to make Israel the fall guy, although Rawabi's travails stem far more from obstacles created by the PA. To Kershner and the Times, objective reporting counts for very little. The more important thing is to engage in Israel bashing. Starting with a blame-Israel headline: "Birth of a Palestinian City Is Punctuated by Struggles -- Project Depends on Israeli Cooperation -- Cement has to be imported, and there is no port or airport." (Page 9) Kershner starts off by asserting that Rawabi's future growth depends on the...(Read Full Post)