Sunday, November 18, 2012

More absurd anti-Israel bias from BBC MidEast editor

On and on it goes, as the BBC's top Middle East journalist blames Israel for responding to Hamas aggression

by Robin Shepherd, Owner / Publisher

It just goes on, and on, and on, and the BBC's Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen still keeps his job. Even British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Hamas "bears the principal responsibility" for the current round of hostilities.

But here, right now on the BBC website, is how the notoriously anti-Israel BBC MidEast editor Jeremy Bowen is quoted in a keynote sidebar to a story on rocket attacks on Tel Aviv:

"The danger of the kind of operation Israel has started is that rising casualties on both sides cause a violent escalation that neither side can control. If that happens it could cause a much bigger crisis across the Middle East." (My italics)


"Israel started"? And please, don't even tell me that that weasel word "operation" is some sort of get out clause so he can say he was only referring to the strategic, operational response to Hamas's rocket attacks.

His comments can only be read by casual readers as blaming Israel for the hostilities, which, of course were started by dozens upon dozens of unprovoked rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.

If he wanted to provide an honest appraisal combined with a warning to readers that the situation could escalate, why did he not offer a quotation like this:
"The danger of the kind of unprovoked terror attacks on Israeli civilians launched recently by Hamas is that Israel, like any democracy under fire, has now been forced to respond. Unless Hamas agrees to desist, this could all lead to a much bigger crisis in the Middle East".
Really, how hard would it have been to have said that, or something like it? Well, impossible it seems if you are Jeremy Bowen who in 2009 was even upbraided by the BBC itself for failing in his duty to impartiality over Israel.
And yet, he keeps his job. How long can this be allowed to go on? Why not write to the BBC and ask them?
In the meantime, take a look at these excellent pieces on the shameless bias against Israel by the BBC over this latest confict. See here, and here.

No comments: