Case Opened on 18:49, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
Case Closed on 03:01, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Please do not edit this page directly unless you wish to become a participant in this request. (All participants are subject to Arbitration Committee decisions, and the ArbCom will consider each participant's role in the dispute.) Comments are very welcome on the Talk page, and will be read, in full. Evidence, no matter who can provide it, is very welcome at /Evidence. Evidence is more useful than comments.
Arbitrators will be working on evidence and suggesting proposed decisions at /Workshop and voting on proposed decisions at /Proposed decision.
Deletion of WP:EL-compliant links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs in the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Both links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs compliant with Wikipedia's policies WP:EL and others are being repeatedly deleted from the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. I will simply use the mediator's language from second mediation attempt, after Barberio accused without justification the first mediator of mistakes:
Furthermore, tasc insists on deleting WP:EL-complant links to online journals, blogs and news service photographs from article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict without resorting to any talk page or mediation process. AdamKesher 16:09, 8 August 2006 (UTC)
The effect of tasc's and Barberio's words and actions—either delete the links without discussion, or add a template that says that they should be replaced—hardly appear to represent a compromise position. Instead of replying to this reasonable response on the mediation page, Barberio declared the process "stalled" and now expresses bemusement now that it has been taken to the next level beyond mediation. The links either satisfy the exceptions of WP:EL or they don't. If there are other avenues that could resolve this dispute under these circumstances, I am certainly open to them. AdamKesher 15:48, 9 August 2006 (UTC)"The template has had language added that makes it clear that these links should be replaced."
I note here tasc's deletion of these relevant links ( 11:11, 11 August 2006, 12:54, 11 August 2006, 13:20, 11 August 2006) to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, weblogs, and news service photographs, who states in the comment field,
As one example of tasc's attitude toward fellow editors and Wikipedia itself, I offer this exchange from Talk:2006_Israel-Lebanon_conflict#Tasc_deletions:
This behavior has been longstanding and has been done while consistently disregarding or mocking the talk, mediation, and now arbitration processes. AdamKesher 14:42, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
Refactored myself since this was getting long -- Barberio 00:30, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
My position on the links involved has always been that they were not complaint with WP:EL, and should not be on the page. I was willing to accept a compromise offer of keeping a limited amount of links on the page under a warning. And that when editors found suitable replacements for the links which are compliant with WP:EL, they should be removed in preference to those links.
I don't expect the ArbCom to rule on this since it's outside of scope. The issue is already under discussion on Wikipedia talk:External links. And following a proposed consensus, the guideline has been edited by an uninvolved editor to remove the lines used to defend inclusion of the links. If this remains consensus, then I belive the content issue will have been settled by outside parties.
Responces to the various things brought up:
I've not edited the article itself since the 7th, and have no intent to do so again since it's clearly too hot an article to touch at moment.
Important Reminder - I will be away from Thursday the 17th until at least the 22nd. I'm now back.
I don't really understand what this arbitration is about, so I don't know what to say. It seems to me that AdamKesher is merely using Wikipedia as a tool to promote his POV. The last time I edited the article was more than 2 weeks ago. I took part in the informal mediation and supported Barberio's creative proposal for a compromise. According to the description on this page the arbritration is about "[d]eletion of WP:EL-compliant links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs in the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict." But I don't think they are "WP:EL-compliant" at all. That's why I removed them. I have explained my position on the article talk page and on the first mediation page here. CP/M has asked me if I could "[recuse myself] from editing the links in questioned pages for a few months" in order to achieve "a peaceful solution". That's perfectly fine with me, since I have in effect "recused myself" already, although I doubt if it would bring "peace". (Many of the original links were added by anonymous editors who don't participate in these proceedings. So they may be added again, and then someone will probably remove them while citing Wikipedia policies. Etc.)-- Denis Diderot 08:50, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
I agree these links should be in the article. They add a unique and important source (though NOT reference) for the war. However, I can see the use in the changes proposed by Barberio. Without knowing what blogs you consider reliable, is this what you are asking for?;
First, from the start of the mediation process I established that while I believed the links should stay, this was an edit dispute and hence I thought the more appropiate place for this was the talk page of the article. However, I do agree that editor tasc consistently and in other articles refused to engage in reasoned community debate, prefering to just edit, usually with some vague explanation but sometimes with no explanation at all. So I understand Adam's frustation, yet I am not fully convinced this process (ie moderation and arbcom) are the way to go, even when I expressed that the moderation was not possible and that escalation might be in order. I am being ambivalent, but that is my honest position on this proceeding. If a consensus of admisn is that this proceeding has no merits, I can accept that, but I wasn't who raised it.
Now, Barbeiro raises some serious concerns, including feeling like he was personally attacked, which deserve, in my opinion, a serious reply.
I believe Barbeiro has indeed made a mockery of the moderation process because:
I have no personal ill will to Barbeiro, which I don't know, nor do I belive this to be a generalized behaivior on his part. But I cannot take part in a moderation process where one of the participants chooses to use backchannels, off-wiki conversations, and other unaccountable methods to difame a moderator, and in turn, predispose any substitute moderator to take up his position, lest he or she face his wrath.
Perhaps this is not what Barbeiro intended, but the immanent (in my opinion) Law of unintended consequences supports the view that his intention is irrelevant, what counts are the consequences, which was paving the way for this ArbCom proceeding to happen, by not trusting his fellow wikipedians, and mocking them by speaking behind their backs instead that in front of them.-- Cerejota 04:59, 9 August 2006 (UTC)
All numbering based on /Proposed decision
1) Wikipedia:External links discourages links to sites which are not reliable sources or which are not suitable for permanent links due to their changing nature, such as blogs.
2) It is appropriate to temporarily include external links to blogs and other sites which reflect contemporary reactions to a developing event. This is especially true in the case of events which are the focus of substantial attention. As the article becomes history rather than a current event the appropriateness of such links may change.
3) In appropriate circumstances it is proper to markedly deviate from the usual practices set forth in Wikipedia guidelines and style guides in order to fulfill the encyclopedic purpose of Wikipedia, for example, as in the instant case, an adequate presentation of an ongoing event. Deviations from Wikipedia policies, especially fundamental policy, may also occur in rare instances but are much more difficult to justify.
5) It is inappropriate during mediation to edit war regarding the subject of the mediation. If a subject is in mediation a user is expected to participate in the mediation in good faith.
6) Mediation is traditionally a process which permits free expression of diverse opinions. For this reason its content is often confidential. Absent bad faith (refusal to address the subjects under discussion or to participate), aggressive expression of opinion is to be expected and ought not be negatively sanctioned. This may include dissatisfaction with the course of mediation.
7) Wikipedia mediators are usually not trained and are often inexperienced. They may not only fail to do the optimal thing, but may make gross errors. However, they are expected to do their best and presumably do. Wikipedia:Assume good faith mandates a reasonable attempt to work with them during the mediation process. It is not the sole responsibility of the "Mediator" to made a success of the process; forgiving participation in good faith by the users who have a dispute is also required.
8) Advancement of a proposal or template which potentially solves a problem is commendable.
1) The locus of the dispute is inclusion or exclusion of external links to contemporary opinion such as blogs and images regarding the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict . Users, AdamKesher ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Cerejota ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Iorek85 ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) (Pro) and Denis_Diderot ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Tasc ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Barberio ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) (Con), took positions on both sides of this issue. The article at the time in issue was the developing history of a current event. This dispute was unsuccessfully mediated at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict/Archive 1 and again at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
2) Tasc removed external links to a diversity of contemporary images and opinions on the basis that they were "irrelevant propaganda" [1], see evidence presented by AdamKesher. Tasc continued to edit war over this matter during mediation reports of Tasc's edit warring.
4) CP/M ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) was the mediator in this matter. Viewed from his perspective, see Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Israel-Lebanon/Evidence#Evidence_presented_by_CP.2FM, and considering the records at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict/Archive 1 and at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, his performance met the minimum requirements for Wikipedia mediation.
Note: All remedies that refer to a period of time, for example to a ban of X months or a revert parole of Y months, are to run concurrently unless otherwise stated.
1) In the case of articles which chronicle a developing current event it is not a violation of Wikipedia policy to temporarily include links to blogs which contain contemporary opinion and observations about the event. A diverse mix is recommended, but the extent and selection of specific blogs is a matter of content to be determined by the editors of the article.
2) Editors are cautioned that there may be exceptions to Wikipedia Guidelines and Style Guides due to unusual circumstances such as an important current event. Decisions need to be based on utility of the article to readers, not to literal compliance with Wikipedia rules.
3.1) Any user, particularly Tasc, who engages in edit warring with respect to 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict may be banned from the article for an appropriate period. All bans are to be logged at Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Israel-Lebanon#Log of blocks and bans.
1) Violators of bans imposed under this decision may be blocked for an appropriate period. All blocks are to be logged at Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Israel-Lebanon#Log_of_blocks_and_bans.
Log any block, ban or extension under any remedy in this decision here. Minimum information includes name of administrator, date and time, what was done and the basis for doing it.
Case Opened on 18:49, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
Case Closed on 03:01, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Please do not edit this page directly unless you wish to become a participant in this request. (All participants are subject to Arbitration Committee decisions, and the ArbCom will consider each participant's role in the dispute.) Comments are very welcome on the Talk page, and will be read, in full. Evidence, no matter who can provide it, is very welcome at /Evidence. Evidence is more useful than comments.
Arbitrators will be working on evidence and suggesting proposed decisions at /Workshop and voting on proposed decisions at /Proposed decision.
Deletion of WP:EL-compliant links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs in the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Both links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs compliant with Wikipedia's policies WP:EL and others are being repeatedly deleted from the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. I will simply use the mediator's language from second mediation attempt, after Barberio accused without justification the first mediator of mistakes:
Furthermore, tasc insists on deleting WP:EL-complant links to online journals, blogs and news service photographs from article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict without resorting to any talk page or mediation process. AdamKesher 16:09, 8 August 2006 (UTC)
The effect of tasc's and Barberio's words and actions—either delete the links without discussion, or add a template that says that they should be replaced—hardly appear to represent a compromise position. Instead of replying to this reasonable response on the mediation page, Barberio declared the process "stalled" and now expresses bemusement now that it has been taken to the next level beyond mediation. The links either satisfy the exceptions of WP:EL or they don't. If there are other avenues that could resolve this dispute under these circumstances, I am certainly open to them. AdamKesher 15:48, 9 August 2006 (UTC)"The template has had language added that makes it clear that these links should be replaced."
I note here tasc's deletion of these relevant links ( 11:11, 11 August 2006, 12:54, 11 August 2006, 13:20, 11 August 2006) to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, weblogs, and news service photographs, who states in the comment field,
As one example of tasc's attitude toward fellow editors and Wikipedia itself, I offer this exchange from Talk:2006_Israel-Lebanon_conflict#Tasc_deletions:
This behavior has been longstanding and has been done while consistently disregarding or mocking the talk, mediation, and now arbitration processes. AdamKesher 14:42, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
Refactored myself since this was getting long -- Barberio 00:30, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
My position on the links involved has always been that they were not complaint with WP:EL, and should not be on the page. I was willing to accept a compromise offer of keeping a limited amount of links on the page under a warning. And that when editors found suitable replacements for the links which are compliant with WP:EL, they should be removed in preference to those links.
I don't expect the ArbCom to rule on this since it's outside of scope. The issue is already under discussion on Wikipedia talk:External links. And following a proposed consensus, the guideline has been edited by an uninvolved editor to remove the lines used to defend inclusion of the links. If this remains consensus, then I belive the content issue will have been settled by outside parties.
Responces to the various things brought up:
I've not edited the article itself since the 7th, and have no intent to do so again since it's clearly too hot an article to touch at moment.
Important Reminder - I will be away from Thursday the 17th until at least the 22nd. I'm now back.
I don't really understand what this arbitration is about, so I don't know what to say. It seems to me that AdamKesher is merely using Wikipedia as a tool to promote his POV. The last time I edited the article was more than 2 weeks ago. I took part in the informal mediation and supported Barberio's creative proposal for a compromise. According to the description on this page the arbritration is about "[d]eletion of WP:EL-compliant links to Israeli and Lebanese online journals, blogs, and news service photographs in the article 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict." But I don't think they are "WP:EL-compliant" at all. That's why I removed them. I have explained my position on the article talk page and on the first mediation page here. CP/M has asked me if I could "[recuse myself] from editing the links in questioned pages for a few months" in order to achieve "a peaceful solution". That's perfectly fine with me, since I have in effect "recused myself" already, although I doubt if it would bring "peace". (Many of the original links were added by anonymous editors who don't participate in these proceedings. So they may be added again, and then someone will probably remove them while citing Wikipedia policies. Etc.)-- Denis Diderot 08:50, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
I agree these links should be in the article. They add a unique and important source (though NOT reference) for the war. However, I can see the use in the changes proposed by Barberio. Without knowing what blogs you consider reliable, is this what you are asking for?;
First, from the start of the mediation process I established that while I believed the links should stay, this was an edit dispute and hence I thought the more appropiate place for this was the talk page of the article. However, I do agree that editor tasc consistently and in other articles refused to engage in reasoned community debate, prefering to just edit, usually with some vague explanation but sometimes with no explanation at all. So I understand Adam's frustation, yet I am not fully convinced this process (ie moderation and arbcom) are the way to go, even when I expressed that the moderation was not possible and that escalation might be in order. I am being ambivalent, but that is my honest position on this proceeding. If a consensus of admisn is that this proceeding has no merits, I can accept that, but I wasn't who raised it.
Now, Barbeiro raises some serious concerns, including feeling like he was personally attacked, which deserve, in my opinion, a serious reply.
I believe Barbeiro has indeed made a mockery of the moderation process because:
I have no personal ill will to Barbeiro, which I don't know, nor do I belive this to be a generalized behaivior on his part. But I cannot take part in a moderation process where one of the participants chooses to use backchannels, off-wiki conversations, and other unaccountable methods to difame a moderator, and in turn, predispose any substitute moderator to take up his position, lest he or she face his wrath.
Perhaps this is not what Barbeiro intended, but the immanent (in my opinion) Law of unintended consequences supports the view that his intention is irrelevant, what counts are the consequences, which was paving the way for this ArbCom proceeding to happen, by not trusting his fellow wikipedians, and mocking them by speaking behind their backs instead that in front of them.-- Cerejota 04:59, 9 August 2006 (UTC)
All numbering based on /Proposed decision
1) Wikipedia:External links discourages links to sites which are not reliable sources or which are not suitable for permanent links due to their changing nature, such as blogs.
2) It is appropriate to temporarily include external links to blogs and other sites which reflect contemporary reactions to a developing event. This is especially true in the case of events which are the focus of substantial attention. As the article becomes history rather than a current event the appropriateness of such links may change.
3) In appropriate circumstances it is proper to markedly deviate from the usual practices set forth in Wikipedia guidelines and style guides in order to fulfill the encyclopedic purpose of Wikipedia, for example, as in the instant case, an adequate presentation of an ongoing event. Deviations from Wikipedia policies, especially fundamental policy, may also occur in rare instances but are much more difficult to justify.
5) It is inappropriate during mediation to edit war regarding the subject of the mediation. If a subject is in mediation a user is expected to participate in the mediation in good faith.
6) Mediation is traditionally a process which permits free expression of diverse opinions. For this reason its content is often confidential. Absent bad faith (refusal to address the subjects under discussion or to participate), aggressive expression of opinion is to be expected and ought not be negatively sanctioned. This may include dissatisfaction with the course of mediation.
7) Wikipedia mediators are usually not trained and are often inexperienced. They may not only fail to do the optimal thing, but may make gross errors. However, they are expected to do their best and presumably do. Wikipedia:Assume good faith mandates a reasonable attempt to work with them during the mediation process. It is not the sole responsibility of the "Mediator" to made a success of the process; forgiving participation in good faith by the users who have a dispute is also required.
8) Advancement of a proposal or template which potentially solves a problem is commendable.
1) The locus of the dispute is inclusion or exclusion of external links to contemporary opinion such as blogs and images regarding the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict . Users, AdamKesher ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Cerejota ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Iorek85 ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) (Pro) and Denis_Diderot ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Tasc ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log), Barberio ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) (Con), took positions on both sides of this issue. The article at the time in issue was the developing history of a current event. This dispute was unsuccessfully mediated at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict/Archive 1 and again at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
2) Tasc removed external links to a diversity of contemporary images and opinions on the basis that they were "irrelevant propaganda" [1], see evidence presented by AdamKesher. Tasc continued to edit war over this matter during mediation reports of Tasc's edit warring.
4) CP/M ( talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) was the mediator in this matter. Viewed from his perspective, see Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Israel-Lebanon/Evidence#Evidence_presented_by_CP.2FM, and considering the records at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict/Archive 1 and at Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-07-25 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, his performance met the minimum requirements for Wikipedia mediation.
Note: All remedies that refer to a period of time, for example to a ban of X months or a revert parole of Y months, are to run concurrently unless otherwise stated.
1) In the case of articles which chronicle a developing current event it is not a violation of Wikipedia policy to temporarily include links to blogs which contain contemporary opinion and observations about the event. A diverse mix is recommended, but the extent and selection of specific blogs is a matter of content to be determined by the editors of the article.
2) Editors are cautioned that there may be exceptions to Wikipedia Guidelines and Style Guides due to unusual circumstances such as an important current event. Decisions need to be based on utility of the article to readers, not to literal compliance with Wikipedia rules.
3.1) Any user, particularly Tasc, who engages in edit warring with respect to 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict may be banned from the article for an appropriate period. All bans are to be logged at Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Israel-Lebanon#Log of blocks and bans.
1) Violators of bans imposed under this decision may be blocked for an appropriate period. All blocks are to be logged at Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Israel-Lebanon#Log_of_blocks_and_bans.
Log any block, ban or extension under any remedy in this decision here. Minimum information includes name of administrator, date and time, what was done and the basis for doing it.