HR: Elevating Action Against the UK Media
August 3, 2011 11:27 by Simon Plosker
The UK has been recognized as one of the globe’s major centers of anti-Israel activity in the assault on Israel’s legitimacy.
This is reflected in the amount of material that HonestReporting continues to dedicate to the UK media, which is itself a major contributor to the hostile environment that has encouraged the demonization of Israel and BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) campaigns.
Media giants such as the BBC have a reach far beyond British shores while outlets such as The Guardian, which displays an outright hostility towards Israel, continue to gain ground with a substantial online readership in the USA.
We launched our dedicated HR UK site in 2006 with an eye on the many British media outlets that have consistently shown an anti-Israel bias.
During the past few years, we have even been accused of being part of an “Israel Lobby” in the UK as well as being attacked by anti-Israel commentators such as the now disgraced Johann Hari as well as the BBC.
We take such attacks as a compliment that we have managed to impact the UK media and involve many of you in taking action.
Global problems, however, require global solutions, which is why we at HonestReporting have decided to multiply the power of thousands of HR UK subscribers to our international base of tens of thousands in order to elevate our material further than ever.
With the recent upgrade of HonestReporting’s website to include an exciting range of interactive and social media features, the past six years of HR UK’s quality content has now been incorporated into our main .com site.
A visit to www.honestreporting.co.uk will now automatically redirect you to UK-specific content on our main site (www.honestreporting.com).
It doesn’t matter whether you live on the US East Coast, West Coast, in Canada, Israel or in the UK itself – the assault on Israel’s legitimacy is a global problem that you need to be involved with. Don’t leave it to others – the power of numbers matters and your voice is relevant wherever you live.
The UK media matters. The combination of HonestReporting and HR UK shows how seriously we are taking this. We hope that you do too. One voice may not make a difference but together thousands can.
Check out our Home Page for today’s other top stories
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4:47 pm
Aug 03, 2011
[...] article can be viewed at HR: Elevating Action Against the UK Media on [...]
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Maggie Cinge
1:44 pm
Aug 04, 2011
I appreciate SO much what honest reporting does.
The BBC has a regular spot here in the US on NPR. NPR is anti-Israel to begin with- but having BBC news adds a fatal blow. I literally get sick to my stomach when I hear their biased reporting. I have written countless emails to NPR with no reply. Makes me wonder about the veracity of all their stories.
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Sylvie Schapira
2:05 pm
Aug 04, 2011
I absolutely agree with Maggie on both the expression of her appreciation for Honest Reporting and the work that it does, and the stomach sickening prejudicial reporting of the BBC – and The Guardian. I live in the U.K. and read all the obsessive anti-Israel vilifications on a regular basis. So many British Jews are full of ‘liberal’ left anti-Israel rhetoric that frequently has no basis or evidence to substantiate their repetitive assault. This too is sickening and horrifying. One wonders what they would do in the event of anti-semitic attacks in this country rising aggressively. Where would they go?
I wish there was more that I could do. Unfortunately, I have not had one letter published that I have sent to the media in response to prejudicial/false reporting about Israel.
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Armand Kidouchim
9:20 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Dear Sylvie,
I share 100% your feelings and views as I travel the world for my Inventions and when I see the news BBC, CNN and others, It makes me sick on how DISHONEST they are. We live in a sick world where the Media has become a MAFIA that is corrupt and is at the service of evil. (Here in USA as well…)
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Brent Pudsey
2:16 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The United Kingdom is being foolish in its media and coverage. The British Broadcasting Company and Guardian Newspaper are causing fear and hatred to rise with their continually biased and condenming view of Israel. This needs to stop less the United Kingdom goes from being an ally of Israel as epitomized in one of their great leaders, Winston Churchill to a nation which does not support Israel or stays on the fence as it attempts to take the middle position.
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BonniePrinceCharlie
3:09 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Dear Mr Pudsey
You are 100% spot on. But in my view, the problem Israel (and Jews) face in the UK can be traced to the failure of our communal organisations – the Zionist Federation, BICOM, the Board of Deputies, Likud etc etc AND the Israeli Embassy – to act positively to counter the anti-Israel propaganda. Almost every week there are meetings open to the public sponsored by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. When was the last time you saw a pro-Israel public meeting? For years the strategy of our organisation has been ‘quiet diplomacy’ and it has failed us dreadfully. While we have been pursuing this policy, our enemies have been shouting at the tops of their voices – and it’s our enemies who have been and are being heard. It’s time to fight back, to start shouting as loud as they do. Enough of trying to defend Israel from verbal abuse. It’s time to attack, to start telling the world about our enemies and what they’re trying to do. The problem is that we are not organised, our ‘leaders’ have demonstrated how useless they are but still cling to power in the communal organisations which should be the vehicles for our response, and the millionaires in our community are unwilling to pay for the ‘sound system’ we need to make the noise. Watch this space (in a month or so)!!!!!!
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Dr Patrick Hinton
2:30 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The BBC is far too protected , run on money (tax) stolen from British television viewers who have no choice but to pay. The BBC is run by a cabal of ‘trendy’ left wing ‘pinkows’. The BBC thinks it is accountable to nobody and has a right to try and change society by propoganda and skewed reporting.
Attack the BBC by writing to the chairman of the BBC trust outlining your arguments and evidence.
It is also worth complaining to the BBC at the time of an inaccurate broadcast – see details on line at the BBC website.
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Harvey Rosenwasser
2:44 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Letters to the Editor
New York Times
RE: Seeking Balance on Mideast
4 August 2011
Nicholas Kristoff defends his excessive criticism of Israel while minimizing greater abuses by other countries by writing, “I plead guilty (because) I demand more of Israel partly because my tax dollars supply arms and aid to Israel.”
One definition of anti-Zionism/Semitism is holding Israel to standards to which other countries are not held. Equating Syrian’s military attacks against civilians, which killed thousands, with Israel’s checkpoints in the West Bank is a prime example of faulty relativism.
Harvey Rosenwasser
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Armand Kidouchim
9:30 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The New York Times
IS AN EXERCISE IN ”STUPIDITY”,…it is bankrupt and is read by a limited number of NITWITS.
LOL!
This paper is doing the work of ”The ultimate useful idiots”,…history will once more teach hem a harsh lesson.
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Tony
2:52 pm
Aug 04, 2011
What is it with the British Medias That makes them HATE ISRAEL SO?? I mean even the Arab states are’nt that REDICULOUS;;, well, they are sort of but I suppose one can fathom out why,,,they use ANTI ISRAEL PROPOGANDA,, BUT British Medias??? Is it because we Kicked them out of Israel At the end of WW2,?
Its bad enough that their “Pseudo Journalists” are Terribly Amature and Unprofessional But What is it with their Directors and Gouverning bodies? Are they too Accomplice to the Biased reportings regarding Israel?? I have come to that conclusion;
As Maggie and Sylvie have said,, I too have written to the BBC, GUARDIEN & INDEPENDANT with no reply,,, In fact I never expected to get one ,, But it sure as Hell makes a difference when one can get all this frustration off ones Back, and throw it in the faces of these So called “Journalists.
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Steve Mann
6:21 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Tony you are wrong- In 1967 the UK media with exception was a pro-Israeli organ- The BBC praised Israel’s against the invading armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan.
The Guardian was then called the Manchester Guardian and likewise was a supporter of Israel-
However after a Guy called Michael White came in it then changed its name to the Guardian- all Left Wing Journalists lead the paper- and the same happened to the BBC, also the Independent which is part of the Guardian now-
If you are looking for a job in the BBC -you look in the Guardian it appears to be the only place where the BBC advertise.
And so the left wing media ride the back of the Islamic “Tiger”.
And that’s why Journalists like Pilger get away with the half truth an sometimes an outright lie.
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Steve Mann
6:12 pm
Aug 04, 2011
May I suggest the first course of action is once again to take up the fight against the BBC and every one plague them to publish the Malcom Balen report-
This was commissioned by the BBC with the tax payers money as an independent investigation into their handling of the ME affairs Israeli/Arab where they were accused of anti-Israeli bias.
That was about 6 years ago- After much effort they still refuse to publish- Why?
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Dr Patrick Hinton
6:20 pm
Aug 04, 2011
So why is the British media generally so anti Israel?
It has little in my view to do with 1946 – 48. Many British Christians are appalled and embarrassed by what British politicians at the time ordered our armed forces to do! They believe that Jews have been brought back (gathered) from around the world and Israel recreated as predicted in the Jewish Tenakh. Many believe British forces were therefore at the time in effect fighting against God himself!
There was also disquiet amongst British soldiers who had recently finished fighting Hitler and all the evil he stood for.
What is surprising today, is that there is strong evidence of an ‘unholy alliance’ between left wing activists, the PC brigade and Islamics – yes Islamics!!
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Mupoo1At8
Most fair-minded Brits tend to believe what they hear from the BBC, which sadly they trust. Therefore the bile by the BBC against Israel is widely believed – sadly!!
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Dr Patrick Hinton
6:24 pm
Aug 04, 2011
At what point can the Malcom Balen report be obtained under the freedom of information act? The BBC is a ‘public body’.
I am not a lawyer so would value advice on this.
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Simon Plosker
10:10 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Dr Hinton – we actually put in a Freedom of Information request a number of years ago and it was rejected. Since then the BBC has spent thousands of pounds of UK taxpayers money in the courts fighting all attempts to make them release the Balen Report.
It was in court once more in an individual case brought by lawyer Steven Sugar, who sadly passed away some months ago. It is unclear now that Steven is no longer with us whether the case will proceed any further, particularly as the BBC had the upper hand over the course of the legal action.
So, in answer to your question – a FOI request will not work in this case.
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Steve Mann
11:13 am
Aug 05, 2011
So once again I “Plead” lets have thousands, no! 100`s of thousands of requests to the BBC-
PUBLISH THE MALCOM BALEN REPORT.
Fill their inbox till it overflows.!
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Armand Kidouchim
9:46 pm
Aug 04, 2011
ISRAEL’S foreign ministry ”MUST” select law firms in Europe and the USA to go after the BIASED and INSANE leftist Media for LIBEL and punish them where they are the most vulnerable ($$$$).
It would make them more responsible and more honest.
For Israel, it would be MONEY WELL SPENT/INVESTED and ”necessary”.
Israel get out of your Utopia vis-vis the world media, they are corrupt and the only defense is ”LEGAL ACTION”.
The world media is powerless vis-a-vis Israel’s stellar success in the 23rd century technology and business agreements with India, China etc…or with Israel’s impressive success in AGROTECHNOLOGY to feed the world.
Time will force the world’s perception of Israel as the source of ”INNOVATION, SOLUTIONS, INVENTIONS and the only profoundly Humanistic society”
For more than 4 decades Israel had the ability to reduce to rubble its enemies, but chose instead to wait for peace, while its enemies tried time and again to wipe out Israel from the Map. If anyone has any doubts look at how Israel is treating its Muslim minority.
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Nanette
6:38 am
Aug 06, 2011
Being here in Australia we here everything that is both ‘Left & Right’ wing, even stupid ministers who say “they will not have anything to with any Israeli Product” and then took hammer to her Dell Computer. What she did forget. is Pharamceutical companies, movies, medicines xrays, ultrasound. Writers, painters, lawyers, doctors allied health workers. this woman had and has no idea.
What I think is strange is all the Anti-Israeli Propaganda!! Israeli’s didn’t blow up the twintowers. or the London Underground Railway or Glasgow Airport, so why is the stupid politicians and press, ie BBC protecting the criminal who only want to wipe out Western Society, and Israel.
Unfortunately they are trying their sneaky methods here too. I still am praying that Australia as a nation, will smarten itself up and not go down the same road as England and most of Europe have. That we stick to the life that our forebarers worked hard and gave to us and not have to let ourselves give in to these Political asasens.
My grandfathers on both sides, faught for this great country, and they were brand new migrants at the time of WW1. These new wave of Muslims just want to take, take & take. They would rather not fight for this country and plead religious reasons and get away with it.
We have areasonably large group of Jews who have been in this country since the end of WW2 and their descendants. Wonderful hard working people who are polite, curtious welmannered, unlike their opposites who are rude because we are the infidiles.
You decide.
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Dr Patrick Hinton
2:53 pm
Aug 07, 2011
PUBLISH THE MALCOM BALEN REPORT
I think the best strategy is to target the new chairman of the BBC Trust – Lord Chris Patten. He is trying to be a reformer and is open to real concerns people may have about the BBC.
If he and therefore the Trust were deluged by demands for the report to be published – then he may add his own considerable weight – and those ”covering up’ in the BBC would find it difficult to rersist him.
Remember it was conserted action that got the report written in the first place and got Orla Guerin removed from the Middle East!
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Steve Mann
4:18 pm
Aug 07, 2011
I think you will find Lord Chris Patten is as anti- Israeli as anyone in the BBC.
His comments about Israel whilst he was governor of Hong Kong were not very flattering , for the want of a better word-
But by all means “Plague all and sundry in the BBC to PUBLISH .
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jon
5:33 am
Sep 18, 2011
I just want the Isreali people to know that the BBC and its views do not in any way alter the general concensus of most of the UKs` opinion, I would go so far as to say that the non politically affiliated voting public (ie: those with no party membership like myself) are not taken in by the current BBC attitudes towards your people. I am sorry and embarressed by this situation, it seems that we are letting down our one true and reliable ally in the Middle East. Your friendship deserves better, the people of the UK are not stupid they in the most part value honesty, loyalty and dignity and will show this when the so called “arab-spring” revolutions have shown thier real agendas. For my part I wish the people of Isreal the best of intentions and to say I personally support you.
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Justin Casey
8:21 am
Feb 15, 2012
I just want to let the people of Isreal know that whilst our media is acting in such a deplorable manner, the majority of the working class voters do not in any way feel animosity to the Isrealis. The problem is this…. The current BBC department Heads regarding Middle East news, current affairs, and any programming regarding the region is headed by a muslim, placed there by useful idiots and left wing multiculturalists who have no knowledge of the world outside thier surburban bliss. I have complained to a few official bodies regarding thier censorship of my posts on thier facebook pages, after they blocked me and accused me of offensive comments after i asked the other people if they actually had any first hand knowledge of foriegn occupation or if they knew what it was like living in a place surrounded by religious hatreds. ( My parents are Irish Catholics even though the ceasefire has been agreed, I will stay in England as my family will be safer… The BBC censor all sectarian news items from N.Ireland, the violence still goes on, and the hatreds between the catholic and protestant communities isnt well hidden. I am not a catholic myself and do not have any interest in religion as through deaths within my family during the troubles i can see that religion and the inherent biggotry it projects is just a form of power and control of the masses. I have no problem with others believing what they wish as long as they don`t bother me with it. I see the Isrealis as the one ally in the region, I also see the territory you occupy as rightfully yours. i am not a racist but i am against the islamic culture, and fail to see what benefits the arabs have got from 1400 years of Islamic history…. I can honestly say that if Isreal was attacked by the Arabs again, the UK will side with Isreal, the trouble is that current trends are aimed at attempting to befriend the Arabs, and Politicians seem more interested in being Statesmen than looking after thier own people…. I hope the world comes to its senses soon as the Isrealis do not deserve the way they are made out as the bad guys…. Ive a feeling that obama will be gone soon too….. the republicans are being lobbied by Tea Party activists and the Bible Belt states….. keep an eye on the Iranians…. dont wait for the UN to act….. Best regards from myself to the Isreali state and its absolute right to exist and defend its own people from murderers following the ramblings of a bearded smelly schizophrenic psychopath…..
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HaroldT
12:34 am
Mar 19, 2012
I do not understand why the Israeli goverment or military do not take BBC or Guardian to court for defamation on a blatant lying article.Sueing Radio France for the al-Dura libel is a perfect case.
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Sylvie Schapira
11:37 am
Mar 19, 2012
Harold, I agree with you, a lot of us feel very frustrated with the Israeli government and angry the Jewish representatives in the U.K. They never put their head above the parapet to protest about the shocking outpouring of Israel blaming, the lies, distortion of the truth, manipulation of photographs, exaggeration of reports in the media and from universities and trades unions. Fundamental Islam combined with the Liberal Left and, as ever, a good sprinkling of Right ensures that the daily drip-drip of anti-Semitism/Zionism/Israel seeps into the global conscience. This falls on the porous foundation of two thousand years of hatred. Israel is the Jew among the nations struggling for its existence.
Recently, whilst in Jerusalem, I met with a group of Anglo Israelis and put the same question to them about Israel’s responses to the injustices from (especially) U.K. Of course they were not a wholly representative group, but nevertheless their answer did fit for me. They said that ‘Israel is too caught up in her own problems to be worrying about the rest of the world, and it was up to British Jews, and those who sympathised with Israel, to do something about it’.
We cannot leave this to the Board of Deputies who are a toothless bunch in my view. Writing to the BBC and the Guardian, Independent etc., has also proved to be frustrating, A documentary is needed to show our growing frustrations, and to give Israel a fair hearing from those who expertly monitor the media coverage of the Israel/Muslim conflict like HonestReporting.
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graham
10:13 am
Apr 23, 2012
England has not changed since the 1917 Balfour Declaration that offered Jewish people a home land but only for a few (and even totally reneged on this promise) and as long as they do not upset the arabs. They did not foresee the mass immigration of Jewish Europeans and Russians in the 1930′s.
The British were responsible during the British mandate years for the allowance of the mufti to forcibly buy land from his poor fellow arabs at a cheap price and then sell it to Jewish settlers for a high price. This also left dispossessed arabs who only worked this land but did not own it with no where to go. This mess as usual is blamed on the Jewish people.
You may have noticed that once Britain began to treat the Jewish people like this their own land (Empire) began to disappear and by 1955 it was gone. Now Britain attacks Israel over the morality of how it handles its affairs and we now see over the last 40 years Britain has sink into an extremely low moral abyss across all sections of society (government, economics, home life, social life).
It would be good to see some Olde Wingates again in Britain.
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