The weekend raid by Israel on a Turkish flotilla near Gaza has renewed a small controversy at The New York Times over coverage of Israel by a Times reporter whose son is in the Israeli military.

In February, Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt urged that Ethan Bronner be reassigned from such coverage because his son is in the Israeli Defense Forces.

“The Times sent a reporter overseas to provide disinterested coverage of one of the world's most intense and potentially explosive conflicts, and now his son has taken up arms for one side. Even the most sympathetic reader could reasonably wonder how that would affect the father, especially if shooting broke out," Hoyt wrote at the time. “I have enormous respect for Bronner and his work, and he has done nothing wrong. But this is not about punishment; it is simply a difficult reality. I would find a plum assignment for him somewhere else, at least for the duration of his son's service in the I.D.F.”

Keller disagreed then, telling Hoyt: “Ethan has proved himself to be the most scrupulous of reporters” and “We have the utmost confidence that his work will continue to meet the highest standards.”

Still, with Bronner covering the latest events, it raises the question again of whether Bronner should be involved. Keller has not immediately responded today to a request for comment.