BBC Wishes Jewish Viewers a Sour New Year
September 20, 2012 9:36 by Pesach BensonTalk about starting off the Jewish new year on a sour note. The BBC scheduled its Mideast editor, Jeremy Bowen, to have a Q&A with readers on Twitter — during Rosh HaShanah.
And blogger Daphne Anson doesn’t buy Bowen’s unapologetic weak answer that the timing “could’ve been better.”
Nobody would be cynical enough to suggest that this was an opportunity for Bowen to plug the book he’s just written on the so-called Arab Spring.
And nobody would be cynical enough to suggest that despite Al Beeb’s bend-over-backwards attempts at inclusiveness and accommodation of all sorts of minority groups a much-touted-by-the-BBC question and answer session on Twitter regarding the Middle East with the pally title “Ask Jeremy” took place on the first day of Rosh Hashana in order to evade pesky Jewish questioners.
Anson also notes that the issue of scheduling — and at least one other question which Bowen ignored — were left out of the Beeb’s writeup of the Q&A:
A happy new year from the Beeb, indeed.
Fliss
10:54 am
Sep 20, 2012
What else can one expect from the BBC? I would actually be more shocked if they ever had something positive to say about Israel/Jews.
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JAFB* » BBC Wishes Jewish Viewers a Sour New Year
12:22 pm
Sep 20, 2012
[...] BY PESACH BENSON from Honest Reporting [...]
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rafrafuk
1:31 pm
Sep 20, 2012
I missed that. They also showed a Panorama (flagship current affair program) report on Price Tag attacks in the West Bank over the 2nd Rosh Hashana night…
Combined with the Bowen Q&A that is a lot!
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Sid
7:39 pm
Sep 20, 2012
BBC staff are ignorant about Judaism and therefore do not understand the significance of Rosh Hashna, Yom Kipppur or even Shabbat. To them it is like Boxing Day or any other public UK holiday. Thus one cannot expect any better from them. I bet that none of them ever listened to Sacks on Thought for the Day, they much preferred Linonel Blue..
This goes some way to explain their anti Israel stance.
Perhaps it is now time we Jews played the Racism card and accused them of violating the basic tenets of Judaism by deliberately screening these programs on Rosh Hashana and demanded thast heads roll – of course one could not expect the JLC or the BOD to do anything that would tarnish their image
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IDNS: Iranian Atomic Chief Confirms Tehran Misled West | Blogs about Israel aggregation
9:43 pm
Sep 20, 2012
[...] There’s more to the story at BBC Wishes Jewish Viewers a Sour New Year. [...]
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S Masiello
11:11 pm
Sep 20, 2012
Same thing happened on the ABC in Australia where they held a debate
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Janet Aldrich
12:52 am
Sep 21, 2012
Seeing all the embarrassment the BBC has been getting lately, one would think they should hide their ridiculous humor and respect the Traditions of others. This- is a holy day for Jews. But you don’t see them burning the BBC flag do you. Does anyone get this yet? You don’t see them sending the twitt around the globe and bombing Embassy’s do you. Do you get it BBC? Get over it. Get it for once. Your humor needs a flush in the hopper. It is totally boring and rude might I add. Now that is my proper response across the globe.
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Maura.
7:53 am
Sep 21, 2012
But this publicly funded factory of hatred has been battering Israel for years yet the thought police of that country allow them to flourish. The problem becomes worse daily because of the numbers of muslims now in residence there with some holding key positions like Baroness Warsi who will never tell this lot to get off the welfare pot. Blair & Brown encouraged their flights of hysteria and entitlement on their ‘uman riots’, and it is the indigenous people of the UK who are forced via taxation to foot the bill for their housing, medical, schools, no-go areas, segregation of the sexes, polygamy and a myriad of other ‘cultural’ baggage they brought with them. But Israel is the problem?
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usworker
1:20 am
Sep 22, 2012
Same thing happens here. While working at the NSA, they would schedule a conference on Palestinians and Israel on Yom Kippor, knowqing full well no Jews would be able to participate.
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Louisa
7:26 pm
Sep 22, 2012
Ilan Pappe described as an Israeli born Historian who has uncovered new evidence re: the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and who was made to sound very credible, appeared on Australia’s ABC program Q and A. He was invited to appear on the first night of Rosh Hashana because the compare said he wasn’t available at any other time, and that it was very important that he be heard.
This guy only had to answer to one Jewish lawyer who decided in full conscience to appear on the show, with the audience fully stacked with Muslim and Palestinian supporters.
The show’s host was unapologetic.
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martin
4:40 pm
Sep 23, 2012
Bowen is known infamously as a real Jew/Israel hater. He always has been and always will be. Not for nothing is the Mid East editor, he suits the bBC title perfectly. The BBC are not ignorant, they rae fully aware of their actions, they are fuully aware of Jewis holidays, they are fully aware of the contempt they hold for us and we hold for them.
His colleague Pappe is alwso inmfamously recognised as another Jew Israel hater.. There are a number of top Jewish officials at the BBC, who quietly go along with the hate. Obviously, they are too fearful of their own positions, of course being left wingers does them no harm. so they probably agree with what is said and done by the BBC.
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Sid
8:37 pm
Sep 23, 2012
Martin, are you aware the BBC now have an Arab Affairs Editor – so perhaps we could get the BBC to explain the difference between this position and that of Mid East Editor.
As far as the top Jewish officals at the BBC, perhaps its time to name and shame, otherwise we will never see the Balin report!.
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Beverly Margolis-Kurtin
3:43 am
Sep 25, 2012
From the BBC one expects intelligence? Gimme a break. What is worse was a Jewish politician was going to have a dinner on this Tuesday night (before Yom Kippur?”) I’m supposed to vote for a guy who doesn’t realize that Yom Kippur STARTS on Tuesday night? He, in one stupid move, lost the election, at least from the Jews in his district. DINNER while Kol Nidre is being chanted?
From the BBC, I expect stupidity and ignorance, for that is what they are. It must be nice not to have to use bathroom spray, but for a supposed JEW to not know about his own religion? FEH!
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Josephine Bacon
9:05 am
Sep 25, 2012
Like all the BBC’s middle east correspondents, Bowen is heavily biaised against Israel, the fact that he is the so-called “editor”, i.e.on a higher level than other correspondents makes it worse. There is nothing naive about the timing, the BBC has plenty of Jews working in it, what about Jenny Abramsky and Alan Yentob, to name just a couple of the high-ups. The BBC was perfectly well aware of the timing and it was absolutely deliberate. And don’t let us forget that the chair of governors,Chris Patten, former Tory MP is another Jew-hater.
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martin
10:56 am
Sep 27, 2012
Josephine, you saved me having to answer Sid regardingJews at the top. well done.
Yes, Christ Patten was the last governor of Hong Kong prior to China reclaiming this colony. He too, has made virulent comments regarding Israel. But there again, so many in the British establishment have done so. Lady Tonge, (well she might be a Lady in the House of Lords, but she ain’t no lady, that’s for sure. Cherie Blair mimicked her comments as well, regarding her support for the Fakestinians. Sher has made $millions for her work in the wealthy section of Human Rights. Meanwhile her equally corrupt husband is making $millions because of acting as a Bush’s poodle.
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Joseph Wahed
7:38 pm
Sep 27, 2012
The BBC used to be a great station when I lived in Britain in the Fifties. But, now, It is not only anti Israel, but also in its deepest hearts, anti Semitic. I am an Egyptian Jew and am especially sensitive to the historical misinformation which the bBc spouts on the fuckestinians and the Middle East conflict. The bBc has become a pathological liar, just like the Arabs.
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andrew o'shea
6:11 am
Oct 12, 2012
this is not the way to respond to these people, better to write about the marvellous events in Israel and the blessed hope the future holds, we all know that God says He will curse those who curse Israel, look at Britain today, what a mess, and they still want to ‘deal’ in others affairs, I have always believed in cleaning up one’s own backyard before starting on some one else’s.
We know through this site about ‘Hebrew haters’, and that to me is their loss, I had an awesome time in the land and hope to return again, meanwhile, I pray for Israel and the people, knowing we are inheriting His Kingdom gives me great peace and joy, whilst I feel to have compassion on the ‘rest’ as their ‘future
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andrew o'shea
6:16 am
Oct 12, 2012
is very bleak indeed, it is one thing to denigrate Israel, it is another thing to ‘mock God’ who will ‘repay’ according to all our words and deeds, let us in one voice pray for these misguided people that they may come to see and report the truth before their very words and deeds ensure their judgement, they don’t have to believe in God, but, He knows the very thoughts and intent of their hearts, according to their comments, if there is no repentance, then the end for them will not be pleasant.
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Beverly Margolis-Kurtin
6:27 am
Oct 12, 2012
Oy! Hashem said that he would bless them that blessed us and curse them that cursed us. Need I say more?
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emes
9:56 pm
Oct 28, 2012
To add to the comment left by Beverly M-K, there is a very heavy underlining to the fact that a curse usually come home to roost. The BBC is being covered with their own sickening bile and what a throwback this is. For years they have spat at Jews and Israel sneering along with their Arab backers at any misfortune and, even worse, not even acknowledging the good that Israel has achieved from pulling itself up from its boot straps to present day growth in every area of creativity. – The wheels of Gd grind slow but in the case of the recent events they are well lubricated!
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Josephine Bacon
10:08 am
Oct 29, 2012
I was recently at a Jewish event at which Michael Grade, former director-general of the BBC spoke. I was the only person to ask him about the Balen Report and he justified withholding it! He claimed that it was merely an “editorial department” report and was not for publication. Firstly, Michael Grade is a former variety artistes agent and knows nothing about journalism. Secondly, he has clearly fallen into the BBC mindset, which is disgusting. The BBC did something unprecedented in commissioning the report then concealing its contents and the Jimmy Savile affair is its punishment for thinking it has godlike qualities.
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