Nora Barrows-Friedman is a staff writer and editor with The Electronic Intifada, and has contributed to Al-Jazeera English, Inter Press Service, Truthout.org, Left Turn magazine, and various other international media outlets. From 2003-2010, she was the Senior Producer and co-host of Flashpoints, an award-winning investigative newsmagazine operating out of KPFA/Pacifica Radio in Berkeley, California. Nora has been regularly reporting from Palestine since 2004.
So how much does she care about accuracy?
Because of the Israeli-Egyptian siege and blockade on Gaza, these munitions experts have been prevented from accessing necessary protective gear and robotic equipment that their counterparts in other countries rely on to do this critical but dangerous work.Really? Because I cannot find "bomb protective gear," "robotic equipment for bomb disposal" or anything remotely like that on the official list of things that Israel does not allow to be imported into Gaza through Kerem Shalom.
The only question I wasn't sure about was "carbon fibers" but a quick check shows that bomb disposal suits do not use carbon fibers, but Kevlar and foam.
In all likelihood, Hamas never even tried to order or acquire through Egypt any bomb suits or other specialized bomb disposal equipment. Because they really don't care about the lives of their people.
If Barrows-Friedman has some other information that shows I'm wrong, I welcome it.
Somehow I doubt that she will give me the same courtesy. Because she is not a journalist, but a propagandist.