The great media whitewashing of Hamas and Gaza terror groups

If you go through the mainstream news media during the past month, you will be hard pressed to find the word "Jihadists" or "Islamic extremists" or "Islamists" in reference to Gaza terror groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Even though Hamas seeks an Islamic caliphate. Even though every jihadist group in Gaza wants to destroy Israel completely. Even though they are just as anti-American and anti-West as any of the groups throughout the Middle East. Even though they have been targeting civilians almost non-stop for years.

It doesn't appear to be because ISIS has crowded out the "extremist" label. These terms are used frequently to describe Muslim fighters not only in Syria and Iraq but also in the Sinai and in Libya.

If Hamas would be "resisting" in any Arab country - and in Egypt, their closely related groups are - they would be called "extremist" and "juhadist." Hell, Islamic Jihad calls itself "Jihadist."

But the media refuses to use those labels.

The only possible reason is because the media doesn't want to admit that Israel is facing a jihadist threat. If they did, then what follows is that Israel's response is just as appropriate as any response against jihadists throughout the region. That is unacceptable when the media wants to place responsibility on Israel for reacting to the same types of groups that threaten the entire region.

If there is a more charitable explanation for why groups that are dedicated to terror and destruction and who happily admit targeting women and children aren't being called "extremists," I'd love to hear it.