HonestReporting UK received an email from Press TV. The Iranian news service, whose English language studios are based in London, is scheduling a show titled, “Western Media: Friend or Foe of Israel?”
The Press TV staffer described a show filmed in front of a studio audience with four panelists, hosted by fringe left-wing member of Britain’s Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn MP, a vocal critic of Israel. Would HonestReporting recommend anyone for the panel?
We’re flattered that Press TV seeks our advice. But we also know what any guest would be in for – a panel stacked against Israel and a hostile audience. We are also willing to wager on the likely outcome of such a “debate” – that the Western media is undeniably pro-Israel and under the nefarious control of “Zionists.”
Perhaps we may have previously encouraged a credible figure to appear on the show to put the other side of the argument. However, Press TV is the same news service that published Nicholas Kollerstrom’s outrageous piece of Holocaust denial, The Walls of Auschwitz: A Review of the Chemical Studies and frequently features Lady Michelle Renouf, a neo-Nazi and supporter of Holocaust denier David Irving.
With this in mind, HonestReporting Managing Editor Simon Plosker sent the following reply:
Even if I were to ignore the Iranian regime’s support for terrorism and genocidal intentions towards Israel, where I live, I’m afraid that I cannot, in good conscience, offer any advice or assistance to a TV station that knowingly promotes Holocaust denial as well as giving a platform to known neo-Nazis such as “Lady” Renouf.
We hope that no other individual or organization will confer any credibility on the Iranian regime’s propaganda tool by cooperating with it.
BOOTH’S GAZA “CONCENTRATION CAMP” HELL
Sister-in-law of former British PM Tony Blair, journalist and pro-Palestinian activist Lauren Booth finds herself unable to cross the Israeli or Egyptian borders following her boat journey to “break” the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
In an interview with YNet News, Booth describes Gaza as “the largest concentration camp in the world today” and a “humanitarian crisis on the scale of Darfur.”
Booth was later photographed at the “concentration camp’s” seemingly well-stocked grocery store. Enough said.
An alternative view comes from the Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat, which reports that “Hamas was paying approximately 18,000 militants who are associated with the movement- what amounts to 16 million dollars a month.” The newspaper asks:
So how can there be talk of lifting the Gaza siege and relieving the distress of its people, while Hamas concentrates all its efforts on recruiting and providing for its thousands of fighters. It is clear that Hamas’s priority is to look after its militants, at the expense of Gaza’s people and their suffering! Isn’t this a deliberate exploitation of their humanitarian suffering, their poverty and need?
Read the full editorial here.
