We recently highlighted the continuing bias of the BBC’s Mideast editor Jeremy Bowen. Many of you copied us in on your complaints to the BBC concerning Bowen’s leaked e-mail that called into question his supposed impartiality, and an unbalanced report on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Having maintained the pressure on Bowen and the BBC over the past few weeks, we are extremely pleased that the UK’s Zionist Federation has taken up the baton, calling for Bowen’s replacement as Mideast editor.
ZF chairman Andrew Balcombe has written to the chair of the BBC Trust, Dr Chitra Bharucha. Balcombe maintained that Bowen is a hugely experienced and accomplished journalist but suggested that an experience in 2000 has “coloured” Bowen’s view of Israel.
“In May 2000, Bowen’s driver Abd al-Rahman Taqqush was mistakenly killed by an Israeli tank shell during fighting in South Lebanon. Bowen was only several metres away and no matter his professionalism, this disturbing incident may have coloured Bowen’s views about Israel ever since,” Balcombe said.
“The BBC is rightly considered one of the world’s most prominent news organizations and its Israel and Middle East coverage is viewed by millions. Therefore, it is urgent that you appoint a new Middle East Editor who can better direct the news coverage of this critical region.”
(Read the full story in the Jerusalem Post.)
Speaking to HR UK, Balcombe referred to our criticism of the BBC’s report on the Eilat suicide bombing, whose final paragraph stated:
“The last suicide attack was at a Tel Aviv restaurant, killing 10 people. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in that time, mainly in the Gaza Strip.”
Balcombe told us that “This appalling reporting was the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as the ZF was concerned. There was no context to explain what those Palestinians killed were doing, nor mention of the number of infiltration attempts into Israel to perpetrate suicide bombings; nor the hundreds of rockets fired on Israel. There is simply no balance in the BBC reporting.”
SKY NEWS: BLURRING THE BORDER
We were surprised to see a report on the Sky News website concerning an exchange of fire between Lebanese army and IDF forces. Sky states that: “According to Israel’s army radio, Lebanese army troops fired on Israeli forces as they scoured a border area for explosives.”
Sky then directly quotes a Lebanese army spokesman who claims: “An Israeli bulldozer crossed into south Lebanon.”
According to Sky, therefore, it appears that Israel has violated the international border causing the exchange of fire incident. However, ignored by Sky, a spokesman for UNIFIL confirmed the exchange was initiated by the Lebanese army after an IDF bulldozer crossed the border fence “in an apparent attempt to clear mines between the Blue Line (international border) and the fence.”
Sky failed to explain that the border fence that the IDF crossed in search of Hezbollah explosives is actually within sovereign Israeli territory. Following the army’s withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000, the fence was redrawn. At several points its path was routed south of the border, as far as 100 metres in, in what the army cited as strategic considerations.
Rather than falsely implying that Israel has violated the Lebanese border, shouldn’t the media be focusing on Hezbollah’s apparent breaching of Israel’s border to plant explosives?
Send your considered comments to Sky News – [email protected] and be on the lookout for any other poorly presented reports that may appear in other media outlets.
AND THE WINNER IS…
We were honoured that Israel’s Ambassador to London, Zvi Heifetz took time out of his busy schedule to draw the lucky winner of our free trip to see the Israel v England football qualifier in Tel Aviv. We were delighted to inform Mr. D. Newman of Willesden, London that he will be flying to Israel for a weekend in the luxurious Daniel Hotel complete with tickets to see the big game.
An understandably elated Mr. Newman said: “I am so excited to be going to Israel for this game. Many thanks to HonestReporting for your brilliant work on Israel advocacy and also for your generosity in giving away this prize. HR does amazing work in support of Israel and Jews around the world.” Aside from taking in the matchday atmosphere, Mr. Newman plans to see friends and family and to renew his love affair with the country.
We hope Mr. Newman enjoys his trip whatever the final score may be and we look forward to meeting him during his time in Israel. Thanks to all of you who entered the draw and welcome to the many new subscribers to HR UK that we gained over the past few weeks. Remember – it’s never too late to refer family and friends to sign up for our communiques and to help to promote balance in the UK media.
to media bias.
