Sins of Omission

It's hotting up again in the Gaza Strip, as Ha'aretz reports:

Assailants targeted three senior Hamas officials in the West Bank, kidnapping one, torching the car of a second and shooting in the air as a third emerged from a mosque, officials said Thursday.

Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the attacks came a day after four supporters of the rival Fatah group were killed in factional fighting in the Gaza Strip. Gaza is a Hamas stronghold, while Fatah dominates in the West Bank.

Late Wednesday, gunmen stormed the home of Deputy Health Minister Bashar Karmi in the West Bank town of El Bireh and seized him. Arab satellite TV stations reported that he was released Thursday morning, but the report could not immediately be confirmed independently.

Wow. Kidnappings of ministers. Torching of cars. Shooting at mosque-goers. Four killed yesterday. Maybe a chance for the mainstream media to crank out the "brink of civil war" phrase again.

Let's check out the lastest in the Middle East Conflict section of ABC News Online to see how they are reporting it:

Israel fires at Palestinian farmers: medics

Medics say three Palestinian farmers have been wounded by Israeli fire in northern Gaza near the border with the Jewish state.

The Israeli Army says it is not aware of the incident.

Under a November 26 cease-fire, Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza and militants were supposed to stop firing rockets.

Since then, around 70 rockets have been fired into Israel and one Palestinian has been killed.

At least six Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip since the truce was called.

Hmm. Interesting news to choose off the wire service feed above everything else that is happening.

Anything else in that section? Let's take a look:


Nope. Nothing there about the death and destruction between Hamas and Fatah.

I wonder where it could be?

Of course! My mistake ... it must be in the Middle East section of the World News page:

Mother Hubbard, Mother Hubbard.

So where is it, Aunty?

UPDATE: BBC now reporting five dead. ABC continues to report zero.

UPDATE: Finally, the ABC climbs out of its torpor to report Six killed in Gaza clashes.