by Bill Costley
“We report. You decide.” (FOX News)
[newsballad]
(FOX News) Steve Centanni, (60)
was kidnapped @ gunpoint in Gaza
as he & his cameraman, Olaf Wiig,
drove through Palestinian territory.
FOX News called the Centannis early
Monday that he’d been kidnapped:
“We’re a little bit nervous right now
because we haven't still heard anything
one way or the other from the kidnappers;
we talked with the FOX News negotiators
last night, who haven't heard from the kidnappers.''
Centanni left excited for his FOX News assignment in Israel,
after Iraq & Afghanistan; “He thought Israel would be
a safer place than going to Iraq. A gentle, peaceful man,
his passion, reporting from overseas, is what he’s all about.
You can't keep him away from telling human stories. He’s
hoping his work will do some good to stop this madness.''
The Centannis take heart that FOX News’ representatives
& Palestinian leaders are working for Steve’s release.
“That's what we’re hanging our hats on right now."
[newsonnet]
Mahmoud Abbas & Ismail Haniyeh
are working to free Centanni & Wiig.
Small groups seeking personal favors,
a job/release of relatives from jail
often kidnap foreigners in Gaza, all,
released w/in a few days unharmed.
No group has claimed responsibility
for kidnapping Centanni & Wiig, but
his family worry Steve’s kidnapping
is different; 2trucks of armed men
stopped the car Centanni was driving,
forced a Palestinian to the floor & took
the FOX News journalists away. “This
doesn't seem like small-time criminals.”
Bill Costley serves on the Steering Committee of the San Francisco chapter of the National Writers Union.