Flotilla Report: BBC Plumbs the Depths
January 24, 2011 15:31 by Simon Plosker
The Turkel Commisssion of inquiry into the events surrounding the May 31, 2010 Gaza flotilla has published its findings. Some of the main points include:
- The maritime blockade of Gaza complies with international law.
- Israel’s policies towards the Gaza Strip comply with international and humanitarian law.
- The takeover of the Mavi Marmara was carried out in compliance with international law.
- Israeli soldiers only took action in self-defense after being violently attacked by the ship’s passengers and their actions complied with international law.
The BBC’s coverage of the Turkel Report, however, graphically illustrates all that is wrong with its reporting of Israel.
Rather than address the actual findings of the report, which vindicated Israeli actions, the BBC immediately begins by attempting to discredit the report by focusing on Turkish criticisms. The screenshot above is indicative of the BBC’s anti-Israel bias:
- The headline, which sets the tone for the story, is about Turkish criticism and not the findings of the report itself.
- This focus continues in the opening paragraphs of the story, which also highlights a negative quote against Israel from the UN.
- The choice of photo and the accompanying caption – the photo fails to demonstrate any direct link to the story contents while the caption highlights that “one activist was shot four times in the head”.
- The article continues by extensively quoting Turkish PM Erdogan who states: “To my judgment there is no value, nor credibility to this report.”
- As if to drive the point home, the BBC article continues with a well-placed and visible sub-heading ‘Banditry and piracy’
The BBC is notorious not only for what it includes in its reports, but also for the vital context that it omits. Referring to the makeup of the inquiry commission, the article simply states:
The panel of inquiry was headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel, working alongside five Israeli members and two international observers.
Were the BBC interested in providing relevant context, it would have included the information that those two international observers were:
- Lord David Trimble, the (joint) Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1998 and a member of Britain’s House of Lords. He won the Nobel for his contribution to achieving peace in Northern Ireland. He served as professor of law at Queen’s University in Belfast. Upon being elected to Parliament in 1990, he left the teaching profession. Lord Trimble became leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and was First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002. He has published numerous articles and books on law.
- Brigadier-General (Ret.) Ken Watkin who served for 33 years in the Canadian army. His last position was Judge Advocate General; in that capacity he served among other things as legal advisor for the Governor General of Canada, the Defense Minister, the Department of National Defense and also supervised the military justice system of the Canadian Forces. Watkin was a legal advisor on the military/civilian board of inquiry investigating Canada’s military actions in Somalia, as the government advisor on inquiries and investigations following the Rwanda genocide in 1994. He received the Maritime Commander’s Commendation and is a member of the Order of Military Merit. Brigadier-General Watkin has published many articles on law, including international humanitarian and civil rights law. He is expected to receive a professorship in international law at the US Army’s Naval War College.
The commission also included two international legal experts from outside Israel. Indeed, Trimble and Watkin publicly stated: “We have no doubt that the Commission is independent.” But since when did this stop the BBC from sowing the seeds of doubt? Instead, readers are treated to an accompanying box of “Analysis” from the BBC’s newest member of its Jerusalem bureau, Jon Donnison, who writes:
The problem Israel is going to face is that many of its critics will see it as a whitewash. This was an Israeli government-commissioned inquiry and people will say it simply wasn’t balanced.
Donnison might wish to consider the role of the media, particularly the BBC, in promoting this view. Donnison adds:
The findings of this report were in stark contrast to the views of 600 pro-Palestinian activists aboard those ships.
Donnison and the article fail to mention that the “600 pro-Palestinian activists” included a number of well-organized and violent members of the Turkish Islamist IHH organization who were fully prepared to assault Israeli soldiers boarding the Mavi Marmara. Despite the fact that the Israeli commission of inquiry was headed by a supreme court judge and included legal experts and independent observers, Donnison still presents the “views of 600 pro-Palestinian activists” as somehow the equal of the Turkel Report.
Why does the BBC actively cast doubt and aspersions on the credibility of an Israeli inquiry while treating “pro-Palestinian activists” with a moral equivalence, as if they do not have a vested interest and a high level of ideological belief that is pushing their hatred and criticism of Israel. Not to mention that a number of these so-called “activists” were members of the Turkish Islamist IHH organization who came fully prepared to assault IDF soldiers – another piece of context omitted from the BBC report.
CNN’s Mann Can’t Hide His Disappointment
Meanwhile on CNN, Jonathan Mann questions Jerusalem bureau chief Kevin Flower about the Turkel Report. Despite even stating that “some of the soldiers’ own guns were used against them”, Mann can barely hide his exasperation when he asks (00:32 on the video):
What did the inquiry find that exonerated all concerned about the way that this was carried out?
At 02:46, Mann, almost scowling into the camera, appears increasingly frustrated that the Turkel Report has not indicted the IDF on serious charges. He attempts to lead Kevin Flower in that particular direction by expressing shock that the flotilla boarding may not have been “bungled”:
It would seem that the Israeli soldiers were surprised by what they found when they boarded the ship, that some of the violence, maybe all of the deaths could have been avoided. You passed over it briefly but did the commission have anything to say about the planning, about the conduct, the professionalism of the soldiers who actually carried out the raid or whether it was bungled?
Hear Jonathan Mann’s tone of voice and watch his facial expressions betray his feelings over the lack of incriminating evidence against the IDF by clicking on the video below:
Independent Charges a Whitewash
The Independent published a feature article examining the progress of Israeli investigations into incidents surrounding Operation Cast Lead. A highly critical accompanying editorial linked this feature to the Turkel Report, accusing Israel of ‘whitewashing the military’:
Many will feel that the report … only highlights a growing unwillingness on the part of Israel to subject the actions of its military in Gaza and the West Bank to scrutiny.
The Independent is clearly unconcerned with the scope, makeup or rigor demonstrated by an Israel that is fully prepared to carry out thorough investigations into its military actions. Instead, the default position is one of Israeli guilt and responsibility for ‘war crimes’ buttressed by a total and unquestioning reliance on politicized non-governmental organizations as sources of information.
Are the media outlets above interested in finding out the truth about how flotilla organizers, with the tacit support of the Turkish government, allowed a violent incident to take place that led to the deaths of nine people, injuries on both sides and the endangerment of hundreds of passengers?
Or are they interested only in how much blame can be pinned on Israel? If Israel is exonerated then the commission is at guilty of a whitewash. If the commission finds fault then the media can trumpet Israel’s self-flagellation.
Either way the outcome is clear when the media holds to a one-sided narrative of automatic Israeli guilt.
The BBC has plumbed the depths in its coverage of the Turkel Report and has clearly demonstrated its anti-Israel bias. Send your considered comments to the BBC Complaints website. For more on how to navigate the complaints process, click here for our guide on how to make a complaint to the BBC.
Send your considered comments to Jonathan Mann through CNN’s online feedback form.
Send your considered comments to The Independent – letters@independent.co.uk
Further Resources
- Detailed testimony from IDF officers and soldiers, supported by documentation, reveals for the first time the aggressive, brutal fighting
carried out by IHH operatives and their accomplices against Israeli forces aboard the Mavi Marmara, Intelligence & Terrorism Information Center (PDF) - Behind the Headlines – MFA
Likud Holland
5:24 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Turkey sends a boat of suicide killers and when they get what they wanted – some die – Turkey is angry. The top of hypocrisy.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
160 
2
Teddy Bear
5:25 pm
Jan 24, 2011
A direct contrast to this story is another similar one that is unfolding and reported on by the BBC in a completely different manner.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12261668
Egypt blames Gaza group for Alexandria church bombing
It concerns an ‘investigation’ done by Egyptian police on an explosion by Islamists on a Christian church on New Years Day which killed 23 Christians. According to the police they have blamed it on a militant group in Gaza, which was denied by that group.
23 Christians were murdered in cold blood in this incident alone yet no mention of international outcry by any group over this heinous murder, or questions about this police report which blames anybody else but Egyptians.
It’s the other side of the same coin for the BBC – Muslims good/Jews & Christians bad.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
109 
1
Likud Holland
5:25 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Turkey sends a boat of suicide killers and when they get what they wanted – some die fighting the Jews and enjoy their virgins in the Islamic paradise – Turkey is angry. The top of hypocrisy.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
86 
2
Dan
5:51 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Agree or Disagree:
8 
20
London
5:57 pm
Jan 24, 2011
The media insinuates to its readers that a majority who have not even read the report yet feel its a whitewash.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
75 
0
M. Carr
6:02 pm
Jan 24, 2011
I used to listen to the B.B.C. WHIRLED SERVICE ON MY LITTLE TRANSISTOR RADIO. It was the best comedy station on the air in the seventies. They sure know how to twist the truth !
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
70 
0
Eliezer
6:19 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Do you think the BBC would for once report the truth? THey have a training school where their reporters are given the best advice as how to stay in the BBC when reporting about Israel – miss out the critcal points or words THey have been doing it for years and not one UK Jewish communal organisation did anything about it in the last 20 -30 years. This speaks millions about these organisations including some which in the last 10 years since they were founded were supposed to correct this imbalance. It is clear that unless the Balin report is published we will never find out whether it is pure anti semitism on their part or left wing liberal views or a combination of both that has lead to this ludicrous situation.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
72 
0
Teddy Bear
6:32 pm
Jan 24, 2011
There are certainly journalists working for the BBC that are anti-Semitic, and most that have left wing liberal views, but I don’t think it’s purely either of these that has determined the BBC agenda, particularly on this subject.
The BBC is interested in its own power and influence in the world. To report negatively against the Islamist movements would not only diminish their power but likely put their journalists into danger. So they have to be seen to support these Islamist views, though we see their hypocrisy when it concerns any other religion or minority groups.
“By their hypocrisy shall you know them”
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
68 
0
philip
6:26 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Truth is truth and lies are lies. Thank you Honest Reporting.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
64 
1
Brian Hoffmann
6:29 pm
Jan 24, 2011
This is typical of the BBC’s anti Israel bias. It seems that no matter how many times the BBC are called upon to put its coverage of events in Israel into context they are unable or unwilling to do so. It would go against the BBC’s default position, to criticise everything to do with Israel. A further example of such negative reporting was Jeremy Bowen’s report on the leaking of a large number of documents to Al Jazeera concerning the peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Yet again it’s all the fault of those “swaggering” Israelis.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
68 
0
LAURENCE FREEMAN
6:35 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Not only the BBC but many people around the world seem to hate the Israelis, who for the past 62 years have not been able to settle peace negotiations with all their neighbours. Like many anti semites in the past they always pick on the smallest minority.whilst Israels enemies will not talk to them insisting on impossible pre conditions Compare the press coverage in the media between the recent 24 Christians killed by Islamists and the 9 militants killed when the Turks decided to break a perfectly legal blockade against the rockets still being hurled against Israel despite the Hamas losses during the reprisal cast lead raids.
As well as stealing the heritage sites of the Jews they throw accusations against Israel with the backing of many wealthy Arab States who would be better off spending part of their enormous oil revenues in alleviating the state of the citizens of Hamas and the PA, by providing the means of work for these poor people to earn wages instead of taking free food and medicine from charity.mainly the hard pressed UN. The arabs prefer to leave these people as a sore in the side of the Jews. Not unnaturally Israel will continue to take advantage of the situation as its finances grow stronger and the weakness of their opponents case and claims become unachievable. They want the Jews to repatriate all those arabs displaced by the various wars with the arabs but are they willing to compensate Jews for their losses when they were not permitted to remain in Arab countries when the State of Israel was created ? Israel must always remain strong particularly when Iran, Hamas and Hezbullah refuse to renounce their threats of annihilation against the small Jewish State
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
66 
0
Bernice Dubois
7:54 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Agree or Disagree:
3 
13
Daniel
8:19 pm
Jan 24, 2011
These Turkish/Palestinian terrorists realized this political opportunity before the boarding event even happened. The ring leaders had their own agenda, they kept it quite and they stuck to the plan. They realized that they could kill their own people in cold blood knowing that the Israeli military would be charged with the crimes. The special commando team involved is highly trained and highly disciplined. Yes, self defense did and should have occurred, but the cold blooded killing by the terrorists should not have. This is typical behavior for this Jihadist Muslim movement. As for the BBC…what is new?
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
26 
0
Barry Weiss
8:37 pm
Jan 24, 2011
While your reporting brings home to us subscribers the bias of ALL the media, my focus is on trying to organize the Israeli public that DOES perceive the truth to bring pressure to bear on Israeli politicans to STATE CLEARLY THAT THE SETTLEMENTS ARE LEGAL, THAT ENGLAND VIOLATED ITS MANDATE OF THE SAN REMO CONFERENCE 1920-1922 TO CLOSELY SETTLE JEWS TO THERI HOMELAND UNANIMOUSLY AGREED BY THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND RATIFIED BY ALL DEMOCRATIC STATES, AND INSTEAD LIMITED JEWISH ENTRY TO THEIR HOMELAND, PROMOTED ARAB IMMIGRATION INSTEAD, FOMENTED RIOTS, AND GAVE 78% OF THAT HOMELAND TO THE HASHEMITES TO FORM THE KINGDOM OF JORDAN.
Jordan is the 2nd state of any two state solution. Every other border shift caused by war has resulted in exchange of populations. Only here have the 800,000 or so Jews been short changed with no compensation, no consideration, while UNWRA perpetuates Arab “refugee” status, confers it on children of “refugees”, and uses resources to continue incitement and hatred that will prevent these “clients” from ever being peaceful citizens anywhere.
Politicians NEVER ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES. ENGLAND DOESN’T. TURKEY HASN’T. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTERS HAVE NOT.
WE, THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THESE TRUTHS, MUST WORK TO TELL THE LIE TO “THE OCCUPATION IS ILLEGAL” LIE AS A STARTING POINT.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
35 
6
Ehud
12:46 am
Jan 25, 2011
not only that: the Palestinians forfeited their claim to a “homeland” by rejecting the partition of the mandate, according to UN resolution 181, and by not demanding a “homeland” during 19 years of Jordanian annexation of the “West Bank” (hence its name) and Egyption control of Gaza.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
16 
0
rodney allsworth
8:45 pm
Jan 24, 2011
turkey it seems is only doing the same as the hizbullah in lebanon, nassarallah knows darn well his men merdered harrie, but rejects the truth of world opinion as if it is of no consequence to what happens in lebanon, turkey is rejecting the world opinion of an independant court -of good repute- and sets turkey against any form of truth, as for the BBC well trash in, trash out.
rod qld australia
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
22 
0
M. Greiver
9:52 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Sent to BBC Complaints:
Your Pavlovian reaction
I ought to have become used to your Pavlovian reaction to any news involving Israel, but I feel I still need to complain about your biased coverage of the report published by the Turkel Commission on the Gaza Flotilla, which as you and your reporters know, included to very respectable International observers who seconded the findings, plus two respectable international law experts, all four neither Israelis nor Jewish, a fact that you very carefully avoided reporting. Surely, reporting these facts would have forced you to attach some credibility to the Turkel report which would have in turn forced you to some extent change and soften your report and perhaps, God forbid, utter a few words that may seem like, in a slight degree, exonerating Israel’s laying the (legitimate) sea blockade on Gaza and it’s (rightful) actions in stopping the Mavi Marmara and the rest of the Gaza Flotilla. And that, dear sirs, is impossible, because it would clash with your bias against Israel that is deeply rooted in your genes!
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
41 
0
John
10:19 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Well, with so many Muslims in their country and in Londonistan, what can you expect?
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
29 
0
Andrew
10:56 pm
Jan 24, 2011
I’ve spent a lot of time looking at this report in the last 24 hours. It was added to today with Mark Regev being challenged on BBC Radio 4 on his assertion that this enquiry was more independent that the first UN report into the incident.
What the BBC then did was then turn to a UN Spokesman to offer his comment on how independent the Israeli comission was. That UN spokesman was Richard Falk. What they didn’t point out was Professor falks history with regard to Israel. Nor did they point out the conflict of interest in his claim that the current UN report was more “authoritative” in that he was endorsing a report where his own viewpoint was cited and built upon.
I’ve challenged the BBC logic on my blog today with their broad brush approach to something that devoted endless words to at the time of the incident.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
28 
0
Stephen Gash
11:47 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has neither value nor credibility.
The BBC has neither value nor credibility.
The BBC is funded by the people of Britain who are forced to pay a poll tax, known as the TV licence fee. The BBC is an anachronism in the 21st century. It is past its sell-by date, but nevertheless should be sold into private ownership and funded by subscription only. The people in Britain are forced to pay for the BBC’s self-confessed left-wing bias. It is a thoroughly disreputable and dishonest organisation.
BBC = Biased Beyond Compare.
Incidentally, Britain, the USA and other countries went to war against Saddam Hussein because he allegedly had weapons of mass destruction. Tony Blair recently justified the Iraq war because it removed Saddam Hussein who had used chemical weapons against the Kurds.
Turkey reportedly used chemical weapons against the Kurds, yet George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Barak Obama and many Western politicians believe it desirable to get Turkey into the EU. Such hypocrites shame democracy, just as the BBC shames impartiality..
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
21 
0
John
11:51 pm
Jan 24, 2011
Hard to believe that such “journalists” are allowed to put sooo muuuch
facial expressions in their reporting or questionning…
If one of these “top notch” journalists is on holiday or assignement, THAT is the head of the news for that day…
I remember Dan Rather wearing his uniform with a trench coat, with the collar ALWAYS up, wether cold or not, rainy or sunny…And many others have followed the “lead” !
Those so called journalists are more comedians (fifth rate!) than good reporters.
When you read the behind the scenes going ons in these Media “Meccas”, you realize that these (not all) people are just plain human beings, with big EGOS, and wanting to do ANYTHING to pump up their said egos.
BBC and CNN will collapse when Peace, one day, will be the prevalent news of the era.
Believe it…:-)
But you know, just like the demand for drugs (wanted by millions of americans AND europeans) is what fuels the growth of the cartels and mafia, the same could be said about
the news as they are presented to the general public….If the news were/are presented without any kind of “BUT”, or raised eyebrows, or made up conflict(s), then, the populace doesn’t buy it, doesn’t WANT it…
Nevertheless, having said all that, I commend you for what you are trying to do.
The format is not necessarely the best approach.
You are not leading, you are following the media, and criticize their wrong doings…
That makes you followers instead of leaders.
You need to become informants, in a way that the general population will recognize as non-bias, honest, and informative.
The generation to go after so to speak, is not the adults, it is the young people.
Get to know them, engage them in dialogues, create debates Palestinians, Jewish kids,
other kids all over the world, via Internet. and many other avenue,
invite their reportings, and take off in your endeavours.
ALLOW THEM TO BECOME HONEST REPORTERS!
This would be really a revolution.
Just with cameras, microphones, pencils, and dedication.
All the best.
John
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
10 
2
Nathan Zafran
12:12 am
Jan 25, 2011
The guy who drew the letter “C” in BBC as the Muslim cresent couldn’t have been more correct and explicit. Along with the British media, the BBC is the ultimate hypocritical posterior kisser. To hell with them and the other sanctinomious hypocrites. One day the Brits will pay for their treachery.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
18 
0