Category Archives: pro-palestinian

At the beginning of the year Jane Corbin made an appalling Panorama about Jerusalem called “A Walk in the Park” which was full of malicious innuendo.
However this time she must have done something right, because this one about the Mavi Marmara incident has antagonised Ken O’Keefe and at least one other Israel-hating blogger. They are convinced that the ‘pro Israel BBC is at it again’. You’d laugh, if it wasn’t so sad.

It was gratifying that this Panorama took Israeli testimony seriously at last, bearing in mind that as far as the BBC’s concerned we’ve been conditioned to be grateful for small mercies.
Jane Corbin’s whole programme lacked context, so you knew that despite being presented with an exceptionally generous airing of the Israeli perspective, most viewers would still be thinking uneasily about the ‘’humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the ‘illegal blockade’ and ‘the Israeli attack occurring in International Waters’.

Panorama could have been more forthcoming about the IHH, and about Ken O’Keefe’s dubious record. They could have said something about the reason for the blockade, and about Hamas’s genocidal ambitions.
But I realise that one programme can’t tackle everything, and learning that there was a pre-planned strategy of violent resistance from the activists, and that the ‘aid’ was symbolic rather than useful might have set some people thinking.

The programme would have been livelier if they’d taken a little look at the media’s response, notably the BBC’s instant reflexive condemnation of Israel. In view of all the emerging evidence, a hindsight examination of the rush to pass judgement would have made compelling viewing.

There was very little in the programme that wasn’t already in the public domain, should anyone have taken the trouble to find out, despite Jeremy Vine’s hyperbole about revelations.

Honest Reporting has linked to the Panorama message board. I haven’t looked at it since this morning, when many comments said it was outrageously biased in favour of the evil Zionist entity. They know it’s evil because the BBC has told them so.

Aren’t videos brilliant!
They get all sorts of people into hot water, proving that they’ve told a porky pie.
There’s film of the BNP saying things they wish they hadn’t, and politicians too numerous to mention being incontinent with their agendas. Everyone in the public eye is continually being filmed or caught on camera.
There’ s a big downside too. Take Hezbollywood, or the Pallywood industry, fakers of atrocities by trade, whose purpose is to make Israel look even worse than they made it look previously.
But on the other hand, the videos that showed beatings being carried out with great gusto on the Mavi Marmara might turn out to be quite handy if they’re admissible as evidence.
Awkward too is the video that shows the Arab Israeli Knesset member Hanin Zuabi doing what she swore she didn’t, namely witnessing certain preparations she pretended she hadn’t, and almost willing another martyrdom; someone else’s, not her own.
But the BBC’s favourite spokesperson for righteousness, charitable good works, helping the Palestinians, and making Israel look even worse than he made it look previously has also been caught out being economical with the actuality.

Christopher Gunness always says UNWRA schools and childrens’ camps are non political. But he’s a liar. Hoist by his own self promotion.

We may not like it, but we have to accept that the BBC regularly employs controversial characters, the flakier the better, to boost the ratings.
The risk they’ll say or do something outrageous live on air adds a certain frisson. Will Self and Tracey Emin are popular for that, and Frankie Boyle. So is George Galloway. A number of viewers surely tune in to Question Time when he’s on the panel hoping for some excitement. Think how disappointed we all are when Gorgeous temporarily impersonates mister sensible, surreptitiously reverting back to bonkers as the final credits roll.

One person who gets to be on the BBC a lot is Lauren Booth. Being Tony Blair’s bête noire is probably one reason, and sharing the Scouse Git as a parent with half sister Cherie is another.
These credentials have procured for her many an opportunity to be mad as a hatter on air. She’s been on Question Time, Women’s Hour and Today, where she is inexplicably referred to as a journalist.

She has done some notable things in her own right. One of them is inciting people to attack Israel, another is training her children to perform Palestinian propaganda in rap form and uploading the embarrassing production onto YouTube, and the most notable of all is the ruthless exploitation of her family in a series of second rate misery memoir revelations in the Daily Mail.

My terrible childhood; My mother doesn’t like me; I had a row with my husband and now he’s in a coma; I dumped my husband on Facebook; My husband is an alcoholic; and the latest: My French dream is over.

She is also known for being photographed with Ismail Haniyeh, shopping in Gaza, and addressing rallies against Jews.

Don’t forget, we pay.

Now for something completely similar. Moving on from attention-seeking bigots we see too much of on the BBC, to an article expressing the kind of sanity we see far too little of, or not at all, on our state broadcaster.

“A Hamas that cares not to fill the bellies of those starving in Gaza is also the same agency spending millions of dollars on televised indoctrination designed to manipulate young, plastic minds. See for yourself: go to Palestinian Media Watch. Children, in the prime ages of 5-7 are critically vulnerable to developing attachment figure-like relationships to God. At precisely these ages, they are bombarded with “Hamas Box Office” productions: aspirational propaganda extolling the virtues of suicide bombing as vengeance. Through his work at Palestinian Media Watch, Itamar Marcus has revealed just how institutionalized terror has become in the territories. Work by Dr. Pehr Granqvist and colleagues at the University of Stockholm in Sweden has shown it is precisely at this time and stage of child development at which belief systems are most influenced, and concrete immutable beliefs can be established. Useful, therefore to introduce young minds to the concepts of self-destruction which are quickly embedded, and absorbed and nurtured. Who is decrying the morality of this manipulation? Who is the war criminal now?”

From a must-read article by Qanta Ahmed MD
Must-read is addressed to everybody including Ms. Booth and the BBC.
H/T Elder of Ziyon; CiFWatch.

It was inevitable that I’d have to return to this story for the third time, now that things have come to the boil in such an unfortunate manner.

It is always difficult for defenders of Israel to make their case in an atmosphere of such overpowering hostility. When Israel’s actions appear disproportionate, unreasonable or excessive, both to the casual listener or viewer and the downright antisemite, everything reaches a horrible crescendo.
In this case Mark Regev has another monumental task. He faces disrespect, discourtesy and ignorance. Indignant, disbelieving hostile questioning and from BBC News 24, a kind of interrogation with underlying insinuation and cynicism.

On Today, an unusual interview with heroic apostate Ayaan Hirsi Ali preceded the report about the flotilla. Her comments about Islam were apposite. Yet no-one on the Today programme was honest enough to make the connection.

The media is playing its own not insignificant part in whipping up the situation, and the more we hear about Angry Muslims Rising Up, the more they will do so.

I often complain about the BBC’s ignorance. If anyone is interested in how Israel came into being and the legality of its presence in Jerusalem, I suggest they watch this. It’s long, but persevere, because you’re worth it.