As a member of the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, I imagine Louise Bagshawe bumps into Jeremy Hunt quite a lot.
I was wondering, since she has taken an interest in the BBC’s bias against Israel, whether she had drawn Mr. Hunt’s attention to Melanie Phillips’s open letter about the very same subject!
According to the Jewish Chronicle, the BBC has backed down over their lack of coverage of the murder of the Fogel family. As it happens, the BBC’s report concerning the arrest of the perpetrators belatedly describes the crime in the detail it neglected to include at the time.
If the Jewish Chronicle is merely going by Helen Boaden’s mealy-mouthed statement, I’d say the term ‘backing down’ is wishful thinking.
Louise Bagshawe was not satisfied, I was not satisfied, and no doubt the thousands of people who wrote messages of support to Ms Bagshawe were not satisfied. So BBC, please could you come clean and admit your “lack of evenhandedness” as your genetic proclivities
urge you to do.
I wrote at the time to Ms Bagshawe thanking her for the article and suggesting she visit this blog. I was pleasently surprised to receive a reply a few days ago. It contains a disclaimer prohibiting its disclosure so I’ll respect that and won’t copy her reply here, suffice to say she does seem disposed to keep on the BBC’s case.
Anybody wanting to contact her should email her at: louise.bagshawe.mp (AT) parliament.uk
That’s good. Thanks for suggesting she looks at this blog.
Of course if she uses examples of bias we’ve highlighted here she’d have to keep quiet about the source. She must realise that any perceived association with us automatically disqualifies her from being taken seriously.
Louise, if you’re reading this, be aware that the BBC has already erected an apartheid wall between them and us, called the BBC Trust. They say they needed to do this to protect them from our relentless onslaughts. They say it has saved them from wasting precious tax payers’ time dealing with countless unfounded, trivial bleating and whinging; but we dispute this.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t worry. It’s a kind of ‘in joke.’ (Not very funny)
P.S.
There’s a lengthy quote from Louise Bagshawe’s reply to another complainant in the comments below Melanie Phillips’s ‘Letter to Jeremey Hunt’ blog. I hope she isn’t breeching a confidentiality clause- I can’t see anything in there that warrants one – but it does seem that writing to her paid off. (This time; but as soon as she gets a reputation for Israel-advocacy she’ll be dismissed as a lobbyist)
Sue, the quote on Melanie’s blog is the responsibility of the person who posted the comment. The blog has a disclaimer like the one here.
The reply I received was identical except mine contained an apology for the “generic” reply and a greeting:
“For all those of you who are Jewish, may I wish you and your families a very happy Passover for next week.”
The response to those who wrote to her only contains the word “Israel” at the start, and she only talks about the Itamar massacre as an example of BBC bias without going into subject of Israel and the Arabs as such.
That’s a good thing and hopefully will save her from being branded as a “Zionist” or “supporter of Israel”.
BBC replies to our complaints also contain a Disclaimer, but their seem designed more to achieve deniabilty:
This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated.
If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.
Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately.
Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.
Further communication will signify your consent to this.
Bio,
Pester-power only seems to work when comes from high-profile individuals. I really hope Louise Bagshawe keeps going with this.
I know that MPs have huge workloads, so it’s probably a big ask.
When an organisation employs people with a certain genetic make-up; one that hates, and by extrapolation one that is socialist and pro-muslim; then it is wishful thinking for them to recognise that their whole basis for living is wrong. So, there is no basis for them to acknowledge their weaknesses let alone apologise for what they say and do.
I see what the BBC mean about how the murders were strongly condemned by Palestinian leaders. I mean, look at what the Jersusalem Post reports Head of Awarta Council Kais Awad as saying:-
“The murder of children is unacceptable”
One must admire how he somehow managed to contain his deep seated sense of moral revulsion. Somehow, instead, he managed to focus his attention on calling for an international investigation into Israel’s conduct of the investigation. He seems to think they went overboard in their hunt for murderers who cut off a baby’s head. I’m sure though he is pleased that arrests have been made for the “unacceptable” behaviour that took place in Itamar, just as the BBC are.
I would hazard a guess that the BBC referred to Haaretz’s report and not the Jerusalem Post’s because those decent coves at Haaretz refer to people who launch rockets at school buses as ‘militants’ not terrorists.
That BBC article actually disgusts me for two reasons. One is the inclusion of the usual rubric about the alleged illegality of the settlements, presumably to put the murders into context. The other is this passage:
‘The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them “immoral and inhuman”.’
Really, what about Hamas?
Here’s what Hamas said to its Arab speaking audience:
‘Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus.
Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers.
Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape.
…
Also, the al-Qassam Brigades were able to execute a series of operations in August of last year, which were named “Stream of Fire,” by which the mujahideen of al-Qassam were able to kill four Zionists. Intelligence officials from both the military and Abbas’s militias in the West Bank were confounded by these operations, and worked with all diligence to try to discover the perpetrators.’
Doesn’t sound like a condemnation to me, how about you? So why are the BBC misleading the British people?
I have blogged – http://notasheepmaybeagoat.blogspot.com/2011/04/murdered-israelis-update.html and complained; much good it will do me.
You know what the BBC will say if you ask them why they never publicise the things Hamas really say. They’ll say:
“You’re not helping.”
That’s what BBC spokesperson “John Reith” said once, and I swear I’ll remember it forever.
The bBC, and the diference between a Grad missile fired by Gadiffi and one fired by Hamas.
How often have you heard the bBC report on a Grad rocket fired from Gaza into Israel? 1,10,100 times? Here is how the they reported on the Grad over the weekend:
“As well as cluster munitions there have been a number of reports that Libyan forces are using the Soviet-designed Grad rocket system in their bombardment of Misrata. The Grad, which launches multiple rockets from mobile launchers, has been blamed for a number of civilian deaths in recent days, including eight people in a bread queue. Reuters news agency reported large numbers of Grads fired into Misrata on Saturday.The BBC’s Jon Leyne, in the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi, says the Grad is another indiscriminate weapon that – while not illegal – could be even deadlier than cluster bombs.”
Now, when was the last time you heard the bBC describe the Grad rockets used against Israel as deadlier than cluster bombs? I heard them described as ineffective, I’ve heard the bBC promote the view that they are ineffective , but I’ve never heard them classify the Iranian made Grad as lethal as a cluster bomb? Why is that? Could it be because so few Israelis living near the border have been injured or even killed? But the reason for that is, simply because Israel has invested in bomb shelters. In which to protect its people,which really shouldn’t take anything away from the destructive nature of the ordnance being used against the people of Israel. Yet for the bBC it does, unless of course the missiles in question are being aimed at..Muslims.
I just saw this. Not sure whether it’s justified or not:
http://weareforisrael.org/2011/04/17/bbc-doublespeak/
Problems with the BBC report
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13109092
The savage attack shocked Israelis and many Palestinians and prompted Israeli officials to impose a ban on reporting details of the murders.
The Bbc are clearly insinuating the reason they did not report on the klillings was becasue of an Isreali news blackout, a little later it states
With the lifting of the gagging order, though, more details have emerged of how the killers infiltrated Itamar,
The BBC refer to the killings as “stabbings” yet I have read as I am sure have many others the full brutality of the slayings previously despite what the BBC are attempting to portray as an Israeli news blackout – wgich I suspect is the reason the BBC will use to explain their original non-reporting
You’re right about “stabbings” being inaccurate and inadequate. The parents were actually also shot, several times, either with the weapon the Fogels owned, or with the rifle they stole from another neighbouring house.
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?ID=217047&R=R1
They entered a home adjacent to the Fogel residence, but no one was there. They stole an M-16 rifle from the home, as well as ammunition and body armor, and walked down the street.
The terrorists then saw the Fogel residence, and spotted children sleeping through the window, security forces said.
Immediately after entering the home, the youths set their knives on two brothers sleeping in their beds, four-year-old Elad, and 11-year-old Yoav, killing them both.
They then entered the parents’ bedroom, where they launched a knife attack on Ehud and Ruth Fogel. The parents fought back. During the struggle, one of the suspects used the stolen M-16 to shoot Ruth Fogel dead. Ehud died of his stab wounds during the fight.
The two men left the house, but then they heard three-month-old Hadas crying.
Awoken by the attack, the baby lay in her crib in her parents’ bedroom.
“They went back into the house and stabbed the baby to death,” a security source said.
Two other children were in the home, but were spared because Akim and Amjad did not know they were there.
Amjad later told interrogators that he would have killed them, too, had he known that they were in the house.
Hamas condemns…………….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13096789
However, I notice the last sentence mentions Gilad Shalit, and that he was kidnapped after a raid INTO Israel. I am pretty sure that has been added. I don’t remember seeing that in the original report. Did someone complain?
It wasn’t in the original report. I only complained here, but the omission has been mentioned on other blogs too.
The baby was “killed”?
THEY CUT THE BABY’s HEAD OFF !
If such an atrocity happened in Britain – at least the story might be reported correctly.
But here, the BBC “backs down” after properly fierce protests – but STILL fails to give the full flavour of this evil act.
Obviously this report has been checked up and down the editorial line at the BBC – not just creepy Bowen but senior editors here in London. Probably including Helen Boaden.
HOW SICK and MANIPULATIVE and SLIPPERY can Boaden and her people get ?
Although that was reported originally, it was corrected in later reports. The baby was stabbed in the head. One of the boys had his head all but severed.
The photograph of the baby is particularly haunting. She looks so cosy. I can’t bear to look at it.