Tomorrow night, UK viewers will be treated to what Channel 4's "Dispatches" program bills as Inside Britain's Israel Lobby.
Here are three reasons why HonestReporting's expecting the worst.
1. HonestReporting was in Channel 4's sights, too.
C4 emailed HonestReporting editor Simon Plosker about being interviewed.
By the time Plosker responded to the email, reporter Peter Oborne and a film crew showed up at the offices of MediaCentral with cameras rolling, looking for Plosker and an expose.
(MediaCentral is a Jerusalem-based HonestReporting initiative, providing support services for foreign journalists. The association with HonestReporting is openly stated on MediaCentral's web site.)
However, Plosker was in the UK on a speaking tour, leaving Oborne and MediaCentral director Aryeh Green together for an unpleasant exchange. As the camera rolled, Green simply asked Oborne to identify himself while Oborne badgered Green.
Under Ofcom regulations, Channel 4 — as a public broadcaster — is obliged to notify HonestReporting of any allegations it may be planning to broadcast, a point Plosker made in a followup email.
2. Channel 4's description of the show takes for granted the existence of a powerful "Israel lobby."
Here's how Channel 4 explains its "investigation."
Dispatches investigates one of the most powerful and influential political lobbies in Britain, which is working in support of the interests of the State of Israel.
Despite wielding great influence among the highest realms of British politics and media, little is known about the individuals and groups which collectively are known as the pro-Israel lobby.
Political commentator Peter Oborne sets out to establish who they are, how they are funded, how they work and what influence they have, from the key groups to the wealthy individuals who help bankroll the lobbying.
He investigates how accountable, transparent and open to scrutiny the lobby is, particularly in regard to its funding and financial support of MPs.
The pro-Israel lobby aims to shape the debate about Britain's relationship with Israel and future foreign policies relating to it.
Oborne examines how the lobby operates from within parliament and the tactics it employs behind the scenes when engaging with print and broadcast media.
Channel 4, in its very own words, pre-supposes or implies that organized UK Jewry:
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Has exaggerated influence on politics and the media.
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Has a problematic dual loyalty between Israel and Britain.
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Is neither transparent, nor accountable to anyone.
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May employ inappropriate "behind the scenes" tactics "within parliament" and while "engaging with print and broadcast media."
3. Is there anti-Semitism involved?
Indeed, this might explain why the Community Security Trust received a similar email from C4, even though the CST fights anti-Semitism and is not involved with Israel advocacy. I liked how the CST blog summed up the issue:
. . . while we would not expect Dispatches or Hardcash Productions to make an antisemitic programme, all the standard tropes of antisemitic conspiracy theory are present in this website text: inordinate power and influence, large amounts of money, manipulation of politicians and media, and all done in secret. Even the way that “the pro-Israel lobby” is referred to as a single actor, moving and acting as one, suggests a sophisticated conspiracy, in which different organisations and individuals are in fact simply arms of the same single machine.
Dispatches has some hard-hitting investigative journalism under its belt, including Undercover Mosque, which took the first serious look at UK Islamic extremism. C4 officials told the Jewish Chronicle that Inside Britain's Israel Lobby is "not the synagogue equivalent of Undercover Mosque."
Stay tuned . . .
UPDATE November 16: The Jerusalem Post fills in more details on the brewing controversy.
