REVERTING TO FORM – AT 10:54 A.M. ET:  I've seen improvement in CNN's international reporting recently, probably reflecting the departure of Christiane Amanpour, who now bores us on ABC.  But today, sadly, CNN seemed to revert to form in some real garbage reporting from the Mideast.  Christiane would ge proud:

Jerusalem (CNN) -- Clashes erupted between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in multiple locations along the country's borders Sunday as tensions flared on a Palestinian mourning day marking the birth of the Jewish state.

Whenever you see a lead like that, the reporter either isn't doing the job or has his thumb on the scale.  Clashes don't "erupt."  They're started by one side.  But, too, often, biased reporters don't want to tell you which side started the action.

Syrian state television said four protesters were killed by Israeli gunfire in the Golan Heights area, where Israeli's military said dozens were wounded.

The idea that anyone can seriously quote Syrian state television after what we've seen in Syria recently is ridiculous.

The conflicts broke out on "Nakba Day." Nakba, meaning catastrophe in Arabic, marks the period when more than 700,000 Arabs were displaced from their homes during the fighting following the creation of Israel in 1948.

Again, conflicts "broke out."  And the Arabs were displaced not "during the fighting," but as a result of the Arab invasion of the new state of Israel in 1948. 

Different accounts were emerging Sunday of clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border, where ambulances stood by as the steady crackle of gunfire filled the air.

Yeah, I'll bet.  How about finding out what happened before you file the story.

These events have been long-planned by radical Palestinians and their little helpers.  It's actually been in the papers.  Someone tell CNN.

May 15, 2011