"New York Times readers were astonished yesterday at what was on their front page — a very long, moving account of how Palestinians experience Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The article’s headlines set the tone: first, “The Misery at the Heart of the Conflict,” followed by “. . . For millions of Palestinians, the routine indignities of occupation are part of daily life.” The report continues, and spreads over two entire pages inside the paper.

Reporters David Halbfinger and Adam Rasgon looked closely at the lives of 6 West Bank Palestinians, and photographers Dan Balilty and Samar Hazboun provided 9 humane photographs. The article opened by describing how Muhammad Sandouka, a 42-year-old construction worker, built his home in occupied East Jerusalem — and then had to demolish it himself after Israeli authorities ordered him to raze it to “improve views of the Old City for tourists.” Israeli said it would charge him $10,000 for expenses if he didn’t tear his home down himself. There’s a painful photo of him standing amid its rubble.

So far, the Times report has stunned the pro-Israel lobby into silence. The article has attracted 825 comments, the crushing majority of which indict Israel’s occupation and sympathize with the Palestinians.

David Halbfinger, the lead reporter for the article, is the now-departed Jerusalem bureau chief, and he never covered Israel’s occupation with this kind of honesty and depth when he was stationed there. Why the Times allowed him to write this report now may remain a mystery, but a valuable and detailed article that just appeared in Slate suggests some answers. Aymann Ismail, a staff writer at the online publication, got reporters and stringers in Israel/Palestine to talk to him anonymously about how their work is censored or distorted.

Ismail found that there are several answers. Simple anti-Palestinian prejudice is one explanation. “Layla,” who had contacts in the New York Times opinion section, was shocked to find out about “the sheer racism and dehumanization from rank-and-file opinion editors when talking about Palestinians.”"