False Equivalence in Gaza War against Hamas

In watching the coverage of the war against Hamas in Gaza, one is struck by the use of false equivalence — in an effort to provide “balanced” stories, Hamas has been provided with an outlet to disseminate its views on a par with the Israeli Defense Force.
The current hostilities started with the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers. It should be remembered that Hamas, while denying involvement, nevertheless applauded the criminals. The outrage of this kidnapping seemed to be the last straw for Israeli authorities; they cracked down on the West Bank, arrested Hamas representatives and made life miserable for all the Palestinians in a so-called effort to find the youngsters.