I see that my old pal George Mitchell and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana are in the Middle East to help “bring peace.” You can expect to see the BBC give the efforts of this pair of jokers a sympathetic hearing – they have always been kind to Senator Mitchell following his work in Northern Ireland. Now that Obama has recycled this Clintonian bagman him into this role I am certain that the BBC will use the Northern Ireland peace process as the preferred template for creating stability in this region. On News 24 last night I heard someone insist that Israel would “have to” talk to Hamas, just like the British government “had to” talk to the IRA. It’s a completely misleading analogy but the BBC are wedded to it and you can be sure that Israel will be cast as the intransigent villains if they do not set down and enter dialogue with the genocidal Islamic savages in Hamas. The BBC coverage of the brutal murder of an Israeli soldier by Hamas should have re-assured everyone that BBC faux protestations about its’ much vaunted “impartiality”on this issue are as shallow as they are insubstantial. Once again the narrative is that “both sides” have broken their cease-fires and so Hamas get a pass for their act of murderous aggression.
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Very interesting article in yesterday’s Standard on BBC middle east coverage. The author Keith Dovkants is quite tough on the BBC but strongly supportive of Bowen. He also seems to know what’s in the Balen report –
If BBC executives had hoped for a clean bill of health they were to be disappointed. Balen’s findings, given highly restricted circulation at the end of 2004, were frightening. Although they were kept secret, elements leaked out, including Balen’s conclusion that the BBC’s Middle East coverage had been biased against Israel.
He says the BBC management are constantly fretting about ME coverage:
According to sources inside the corporation tensions over Israeli-Palestinian coverage have induced a state of near psychosis among BBC executives and policy-makers. One insider told the Standard: “They are in a complete white funk. To describe them as like headless chickens running all over the place would be to convey an impression of too much order and cohesion. They are cowering in corners. The fear is palpable.”
Looks like this will prove controversial here •
Leon Barkho, an academic based in Sweden, is shortly to publish a book in Britain, The BBC and the Middle East. The book derives from years of research into how the big media organisations conduct their reporting policies. Barkho is convinced the BBC’s coverage has become slanted towards avoiding upsetting Israel.
“I have investigated this and I am convinced the policy is dictated from the top because of the enormous sensitivity,” he said. “The BBC treats the Israel-Palestinian conflict like no other story. The message is: don’t antagonise the Israelis.” He seeks to prove his point with revelations about the BBC’s internal teaching module for journalists covering the Middle East. Reporters are instructed to abide by a series of rules based on what Barkho called a “glossary”, a collection of words and phrases reporters should use – or avoid.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23628970-details/The+secret+report+at+heart+of+BBC%E2%80%99s+Gaza+paranoia/article.do
There’s been only one mention of Blair (“your own, your very own” as we’re talking of clowns) here so far. I can’t get to grips with what he’s done up to now as UN Special Envoy (and done it / not done it very expensively) but there must be a another good Beeb headline coming up around “George Mitchell meets Tony Blair in Middle East” with a muted fanfare.
Then we’ll all know that peace is on its way and we’ll just have to find a way of funding the £12,000 per “victim” payout.
I can’t believe a veteran commenter such as ‘Umimpressed in Lichfield’ is throwing his dummy out of the pram. I don’t know what to believe any more. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll cope.
Back to the topic. I also believe Israel should talk to the terrorist organisation – whose only goal is the annihilation of the state of Israel – Hamas. Talking can be very effective.
Isn’t “Javier Solana” a brand of Sherry ?
IMF reports UK to have worst of recession. Headline on every broadsheet website. BBC Business site has no mention!!
Allan@Oslo 3:02
Don’t worry, Al Bowen will have assured himself that the Barbie doll and schoolbooks were not placed there after the shelling. I mean, heaven forbid at the thought !
To be fair it has been on BBC news–we will be paying higher taxes for this governments spending until post 2030.
A lot of this debt was incurred prior to any of the current spending.
Brown intends to spend even more –I hope the BEEB doesn’t insult us by implying that it is prudent controlled borrowing.
An article by Fraser Nelson on a Sky Documentary series that highlights the heroism of our servicemen in Afghanistan
http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3295226/theneglectedwar.thtml
“(It is weird that a commercial station like Sky is the one doing them rather than our so-called public service broadcaster, the BBC).”
Maybe because the BBC doesn’t want to boost our nation’s morale to see the Taliban defeated.
Its not that they want to see Al Qa’eda and its allies defeat us, but they are a useful propaganda tool for them to have around to serve their own anti-democratic left wing agenda.
scribbler1 | 28.01.09 – 10:25 am |
Scribbler, the ‘political solution’ to Adolf Hitler was his military decimation. Same needs to be done with heir Hamas and other Nazi scum. Going down the path of Chamberlain isn’t an option.
Cockney | 28.01.09 – 12:48 pm |
Cockney, it wouldn’t matter one iota how clear the genocidal intentions of Hamas were as a result of such talks, those supporting the Islamonazis against Israel now will support them no matter what. Holding talks with these scum in the face of pressure from these western ‘liberal’ closet Nazis would only convince Hamas even more that Israel will crumble.
Someone needs telling off | 28.01.09 – 1:43 pm |
I second that opinion. I wonder if it wouldn’t be too much bother for the site owners to email such people to give them a gentle prod in the right direction?
On the al-BBC web pages today they again run this piece of disinformation..
“The land, air and sea assault killed about 1,300 Palestinians, including 400 children. Thirteen Israelis died. ”
As others have pointed out ..isn’t it strange that the “Palestinians” were killed but the Israelis just died. Also note the unsubstantiated inclusion of “400 children” amongst the Arab death toll and yet Al-BBC can’t manage to tell us how many actual Hamas thugs were killed. Also how many of those “children” were 17 & 18 year old Hamas “Hitler Youth” ?
Al-BBC have used this line for almost 10 days now ….one of the islamic hacks in the news dept. must keep dropping it into everyone’s copy.
Hippiepooter.
Wouldn’t that be useful? My heart sinks when I see a certain commenter arrive here. I know that within half a page he’ll be slagging off anyone with whom he disagrees. Sad, really.
GCooper | 28.01.09 – 2:10 pm
I wasn’t rude; just a bit sneery.
frankos | 28.01.09 – 2:17 pm
“I still think MWL is marginally less antisemitic than Bilal (blessed is his name)”
I hope you’re joking. Give me one shred of evidence that I’m anti-semitic? It’s an appalling slur.
Tom | 28.01.09 – 3:44 pm
Very interesting, thanks. The “funk” has the smack of truth about it. The DEC business surely demonstrates that, but most b-bbc types prefer a conspiracy. Barkho’s thesis is a commonly held one; but not one i think is sustainable given the evidence.
“I still think MWL is marginally less antisemitic than Bilal (blessed is his name)”
I hope you’re joking. Give me one shred of evidence that I’m anti-semitic? It’s an appalling slur.
It is called irony or if you like humour, an attack on that asswipe Balil not yourself
Barkho is convinced the BBC’s coverage has become slanted towards avoiding upsetting Israel.
Well, the man is an idiot. Being an ‘academic’ is no guarantee of brains. Surely we know this by now.
I wonder if he’s even been to Israel.
In their own words: Hamas Charter
Peaceful Solutions, [Peace] Initiatives and International Conferences
Article Thirteen
[Peace] initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement. For renouncing any part of Palestine means renouncing part of the religion; the nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its faith, the movement educates its members to adhere to its principles and to raise the banner of Allah over their homeland as they fight their Jihad: “Allah is the all-powerful, but most people are not aware.”
From time to time a clamoring is voiced, to hold an International Conference in search for a solution to the problem. Some accept the idea, others reject it, for one reason or another, demanding the implementation of this or that condition, as a prerequisite for agreeing to convene the Conference or for participating in it. But the Islamic Resistance Movement, which is aware of the [prospective] parties to this conference, and of their past and present positions towards the problems of the Muslims, does not believe that those conferences are capable of responding to demands, or of restoring rights or doing justice to the oppressed.
Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the nonbelievers as arbitrators in the lands of Islam. Since when did the Unbelievers do justice to the Believers?
And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. ‘Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah [himself] is the Guidance. And if you should follow their desires after the knowledge which has come unto thee, then you would have from Allah no protecting friend nor helper. Sura 2 (the Cow), verse 120
There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. The initiatives, proposals and International Conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility. The Palestinian people are too noble to have their future, their right and their destiny submitted to a vain game. As the hadith has it:
The people of Syria are Allah’s whip on this land; He takes revenge by their intermediary from whoever he wished among his worshipers. The Hypocrites among them are forbidden from vanquishing the true believers, and they will die in anxiety and sorrow. (Told by Tabarani, who is traceable in ascending order of traditionaries to Muhammad, and by Ahmed whose chain of transmission is incomplete. But it is bound to be a true hadith, for both story tellers are reliable. Allah knows best.)
A condensed version here
The BBC’s attempts at balance on Middle East issues in particular do tend to have an awkward ‘tacked on’ quality about them and sometimes sound childishly clumsy, as if in fulsome acquiescence to management diktat.
Truly warts-and-all objective reporting of Islamic thuggery (or any other kind) is an onerous and dangerous responsibility.
Like all public sector parasites, Beeboids shirk responsibility at every opportunity.
My heart sinks when I see a certain commenter arrive here. I know that within half a page he’ll be slagging off anyone with whom he disagrees. Sad, really.
A bit like your unprovoked attacks on me when I mentioned apostrophes, you mean? You simply HAD to post offensive messages about me. Yes, you are sad and no mistake.
“Damn straight. He’s very rude to me. “Anti-semitic shithole” was a tad strong I thought.
mikewineliberal | 28.01.09 – 2:00 pm | #
Yes the “Anti-semitic” was unpardonable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7856213.stm
If the head of this rather important UN entity is allowed to ignore national broadcasters requests for interviews, does this not call into question his impartiality?.
Personally, I think the man is barking mad.
QED.
N Ox – the only one here with 24/7 PMT!
I see the BBC isn’t pulling punches on the parlous state of the UK economy. Lead story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7856020.stm
Sorry MWL, the 6 O’Clock News still won’t use the R word and are talking up the `winners’ in the `downturn’.
deegee 5:30
I am not sure that the Hamas appraisal of the Palestinians as “too noble” is shared by all of their Arab Muslim “brothers” !
Boxer 5:58
No, Baradei is not “barking mad”, he is just annoyed that the BBC is not sufficiently pro-Hamas for his liking, so he joins those piling on the pressure.
Of course, he is not impartial, it is just that, for people like him, the BBC is not biased enough !
mikewine 6:12
Could we be seeing the green shoots of recovery in the BBC ? Are they thinking of ditching Brown ? If so, where do they go next ?
N Ox – the only one here with 24/7 PMT
Yes, the vile Abu Chuffer still can’t see that his unprovoked attack on me – and then whining about ‘he hit me back’ – is evidence of a diseased mind. You really should be a Hamas leader.
George has certainly come a long way since the old days with the Black and White Minstrels.
Funny, that programme’s now execrated by the BBC, but it seems they still can’t get enough of the group’s founder.
Sue | 28.01.09 – 12:16 pm |
I also thought he was going to say “fantastic”
Under the following headline and story about Israel kicking out some Marxist thugs from Venezula, we get , in the final paragraph, that favourite quote of Al-BBCs…
“Israel expels Venezuela envoy
More than 1,300 Palestinians, including 400 children, have been killed since Israel began its land, sea and air operations in Gaza. Fourteen Israelis have died.”
This pro-Hamas propaganda statement has now been used on almost every story relating to Israel for the past 10 days. Note again, that Al-BBC provide no sources for the numbers quoted.Note again, there is no mention of how many Hamas thugs died. Note again that the poor Palestinians were killed but that the Israelis “died” – just dropped dead, I guess. Al-BBC – providing pro-Jihad propaganda at taxpayer’s expense.
So a rocket has been fired from Gaza into Israel, the first such rocket since the ceasefire began 10 days ago, does that now mean that the ceasefire has been broken?, or can we expect the BBC to explain away this rocket as an anomaly and not a breach of the ceasefire?.
Acc. to the antisemitic BBC, a ceasefire cannot, as a physical impossibility, be broken by Arabs, only by Joos.
So, is Obama going to apologise to Imadinnerjacket? Mind you, he has to pull US forces out of all foreign bases as well… Who does this bloke think he is? He looks like a scruffy taxi driver and he’s making absurd demands like this!
Go on, Obama, apologise to him and then nuke him!
“Yes, the vile Abu Chuffer still can’t see that his unprovoked attack on me – and then whining about ‘he hit me back’ – is evidence of a diseased mind. You really should be a Hamas leader.”
Nearly Oxfordian | 28.01.09 – 7:11 pm | #
Abu Chuffer? Hmm, that’s sounds rather good. Sounds like a phrase from a tourist’s guide book: perhaps “Where is the station?” in some remote African language. But the ‘he hit me back’ bit was’t anything to do with me, N Ox; it was an Anonymous some time earlier. You must be getting confused, poor fellow. Try putting the Clearasil on your spots instead of drinking it.
And I’m so sorry about your oversensitive apostrophes. And making ‘unprovoked attacks’? Ah, bless. How horrid for you. Have another choccy digestive.
10 oclock news
Lord Stern (ex government stooge –did Stern report on climate, another suggesting rewarding the poor for eating good food and several on the evils of capitalism etc) has just been on bigging up the huge government stimulus and saying that we can get on with projects straight away.
When pressed on this he was confident that we could get armies of builders to go out doing insulation jobs on houses and fixing schools.
The BBC interviewer seemed to think this was a great use of our money on the day when the IMF gave us a thumbs down and most people are in screaming debt!!
Is common sense becoming increasingly rare?
I’m always amazed at the utter crap that Michael Prick churns out on Newsnight. He was just spouting on about the SNP having to horse trade to get their budget through. “This might happen one day at Westminster” spouts the turd stealer. “In fact we might have a hung Parliament at the next election”
What evidence is there for a hung Parliament? Is this the BBC are now hoping for?
We pay £140 for this crap as well.
I would like to suggest to Nearly Oxfordian that he might consider refining his debating style slightly. At present he seems to copy and paste other people’s work, turn it into italics, split into 2 line segments, and then insert words like:
Lunatic! Ignorant smug tosser! Crap!
between each segment. In the end half of this blog just ends up with Nearly Oxfordian hurling abuse at everyone. He should consider reducing his level of shouting and instead spend his time thinking of proper arguments to make. It’s called a debate, not an insult hurling competition.
Hi Guys,
Less heat, more light.
Caveman | 28.01.09 – 11:27 pm |
Quite correct – reasoned debate will win every time.
I just came over to this blog as Nearly Oxfordian is shouting his head off on Natalie’s blog at present. Oh no! I think I can hear him coming back…
Maybe he’s got some sort of digestive problem. Nothing like a little acid reflux to get a body in the mood to scrap.
Did someone say chocolate digestive? Yes please. In fact may I have a couple? I’m eating for two you see; me and my imaginary puppy-dog, Mr. Bottomchild.
Well betyangelo, that is a perceptive comment and very plausible. A person may be unwell and we all know that is not good for anyone’s temper.
Sin Bin suggestion for David Vance,
If you are not going to ban/suspend commenters for bad and insulting language particularly when off topic perhaps you could try this?
1) Open a new topic – call it sin bin or flame wars but be consistent.
2) Cut the offending items out of the serious thread and paste it there with a reference to final destination.
3) Let the new topic drift further and further down (as with General BBC-related comment thread). The flamers will be too busy to notice and the rest of us can get on with the business of this blog.
Strange para here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7857221.stm
The piece is all about “reconstruction in Gaza”.
Tim Franks is at a bottled-gas filling station.
“As we arrived, fights were breaking out. After an early morning bomb explosion, in which an Israeli soldier had died, the Israeli authorities had closed the border crossing points. The gas supply had run out.”
So it was just a regular early-morning bomb explosion like we all see or hear most days. Unfortunately an Israeli soldier was too close to the bomb this time and happened to die.
A blink and you’ve missed it moment.
Jeremy Bowen essentially confirms Israeli claims. You have to read right to the end of the article and the subhead immediately before doesn’t relate. There is plenty of innuendo against Israel before you reach these three paragraphs.
Bowen diary: Doctor family’s tragedy
Some people in Israel have suggested that the shells came from Hamas.
I climbed onto to an adjoining roof with Marc Garlasco, who is a weapons expert for Human Rights Watch. He found pieces of a high explosive anti-tank round.
From behind the building you can see through the holes the shells made as they passed through the flat and beyond it to a hill where Israeli tanks were deployed. It was a straight shot.
Deegee,
There’s lots of ambiguity there. Does Bowen mean that it’s possible to see through the holes and beyond it to the hill, or does he mean that the shell passed through the flat and beyond it to the hill? It seems to me that the direction of the firing, and hence who fired the shell, depends on what he means.
Either way, these shells seem immune to gravity. “It was a straight shot.@
IMPORTANT: DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOUR NAME
IS NEARLY OXFORDIAN – FOR HIS EYES ONLY
Memo from your BBC Minder – congratulations Nearly Oxfordian, you have managed to cut short several interesting debates with your abuse. But tread carefully at present, comrade, as I think your cover might be blown on some blogs. My boss has told me to instruct you to downgrade the abuse level from level A to level C for a few days until the current alarm blows over. But you are still fully authorised to use sarcasm.