Philadelphia (Jan. 1, 2001) Palestine Media Watch (http://www.pmwatch.org), a US-based non-profit that monitors US media coverage of the Middle East conflict, released today its "best-and-worst" picks of the year 2000.

The most bigoted column: It selected William Murchison's column of October 28, 2000 ("Look East for real hate crimes", the Dallas Morning News) as "the most bigoted column". "By and large," said Ahmed Bouzid, president of Palestine Media Watch, "US columnists have come out heavily in support of Israel, as usual. Mr. Murchison, however, has pushed his support beyond the pale, by trespassing into unseemly and irresponsible anti-Arab bigotry. Indeed, he likened a whole culture to a 'mad dog' that suffers from 'moral lunacy'".

• "Look East for real hate crimes"
• William Murchison
• The Dallas Morning News, 10/28/00
• http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/actionalerts/murchison.html
• Send comments via: http://dmnweb.dallasnews.com/letters/

The most courageous columnist: It selected Amy Pagnozzi of the Hartford Courant as "the most courageous columnist". Says Ahmed Bouzid, "Ms. Pagnozzi has been one of a kind, truly a courageous writer who has not flinched in the face of the usual intimidating taboos. Obviously true to her principles of fairness and equity, she has refused to sing from the usual song book that elevates Israelis to the status of innocent, peace loving victims, while relegating the Palestinians to the category of irrational, hate-mongering, sub-human aggressors."

• Amy Pagnozzi
• The Hartford Courant
• Her latest: http://www.zmag.org/meastwatch/pagnozzi.htm
• Send comments to: tellamy@courant.com

The most inflamatory columnist: It selected Amos Perlmutter of the Washington Times as "the most inflamatory columnist". According to Ahmed Bouzid, "Mr. Perlmutter has been one of the most shrill advocates of ending all negotiations with the Palestinians and has consistently supported a 'military solution' to the crisis. He has likened Arafat to Adolph Hitler and Barak to Neville Chamberlain."

• Amos Perlmutter
• The Washington Times
• His latest: http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/db/columns/display_message.asp?mid=178
• Send comments to: letters@washtimes.com

The most balanced column: It selected Bruce Ramsey's column of November 30th, 2000 ("Israel and Palestine, not like the movies", the Seattle Times) as "the most balanced column". "Mr. Ramsey," Ahmed Bouzid said, "has time and again illustrated that humane, well-informed and informative columns can still be written about the Middle East conflict without compromising the truth."

• "Israel and Palestine, not like the movies"
• Bruce Ramsey
• The Seattle Times, 11/30/00
• http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/db/columns/display_message.asp?mid=156
• Send comments to: opinion@seattletimes.com

The most important column: It selected former President Jimmy Carter's column of November 26, 2000 ("For Israel, Land or Peace") as "the most important column". "Mr. Carter's column," said Ahmed Bouzid, "marked an important moment in this crisis. It courageously signaled that the Israelis also had to make important compromises if they wanted a lasting piece. Mr. Carter's column played an important role in challenging the established mindset that took it as a given that Israel had gone as far as it could go in making compromises."

• "For Israel, Land or Peace"
• Jimmy Carter
• The Washington Post, 11/26/00
• http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/db/columns/display_message.asp?mid=134
• Send comments to: letters@washpost.com