BBC bias - and BBC DEC games

The BBC is arguably the most anti-Israel TV station currently broadcasting on general-access channels to the UK public. Even including Al Jazeera's English channel - this seems still to hold. But it is more than a perception; why has the BBC spent over £200,000 for almost five years to suppress the Balen Report, commissioned by the BBC, to look into anti-Israel bias by the corporation?

The recent (tentative) decision by the BBC not to broadcast the DEC (Disasters and Emergency Committee) appeal for humanitarian aid to Gaza is a transparent attempt to remove this accusation. However, the BBC is in fact encouraging listeners to contribute, indicating how to find the DEC web site on, for example, BBC’s Broadcasting House (Radio 4, today, 9 am). If you call the BBC's complaint line (03700 100 222) today (25 January 2009) you will find that there is a dedicated option - option number One - for complaints against this decision. There is no dedicated option for those applauding it.

But in fact, there is no reason not to support humanitarian aid to the civilians of Gaza. Currently Israel is the greatest contributor, with a continuous convoy of humanitarian aid trucks crossing into Gaza through the Israeli check points, even during the conflict. And on the 18th of January a forward emergency treatment centre was opened at the Erez crossing into Gaza to enable Israeli doctors to continue to treat wounded Gazan civilians, much as they had done at the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon during the campaign.

This is yet another example of the BBC playing the emotions of the British public - arousing feeling that due to "pressure" they would even be prevented for appealing for help for wounded Palestinian babies. And, of course, demonstrating how "impartial" they really are.

Result? A massive upswell in anti-Israeli feeling in a public already well-indoctrinated by the BBC's continuous onslaught, accompanied by a DEC appeal replete with all the fake and/or genuine pictures of Gazan war victims, so lovingly collected by that humanitarian organization, Hamas.

Boycott – Shmoycott

For some years there have been anti-French emails circulating from the United States, some even advocating a boycott of French products. For reasons unknown to me, certain circles in the US wish to proclaim France as somehow one of the most anti-Semitic states in Europe, while the contrary is the case. Here are some facts:

[1] France has had several Prime Ministers and Presidents who were Jewish or of Jewish extraction; the United States has never had a Jewish President, and as far as I can tell will never have one in my lifetime. Even the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, an international scholar on Europe, had to pretend that she never knew that she was Jewish and feigned ignorance of her own family connections - in order to attain high office. President Sarkozy, on the other hand, made a great play of his Jewish origins before the election – and was elected President anyway.

[2] France is the only country in Europe (even in the world outside Israel?) which has Town Halls emblazoned (to this very moment) with "Liberez Gilad Shalit" posters (see my blog http://allan-kingsolomonsblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/presidents-and-prisoners.html )

[3] Has there ever been the equivalent of the Rashi mail stamp, commemorating 900 years of the birth of the great Jewish scholar, in the United States - or anywhere else outside Israel? This was the standard Airmail stamp in France some years ago.

[4] Recently when a minor French functionary published an anti-Israeli article in a paper, the current French Minister of the Interior instantly dismissed him. Where else in Europe would that happen? Or the United States?

[5] France is home to the largest Jewish population in Europe, third largest in the world after Israel and the US. French Jews represent that country’s cultural, political and intellectual elite. Jewish artists, actors, singers, comedians, tele-pundits play very much the same pre-eminent role in France as they do in the US.

BUT

France is also home to the largest Muslim population of Europe. The younger members of this group have played a disproportionate role in the rise of anti-Semitism in France since 2005
( see http://allan-kingsolomonsblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/coming-to-suburb-near-you.html )

The nation of France has suffered from this element – do not blame the French themselves, as no other government has been more robust in its fight against anti-Semitism, and I include in this assessment even Jacques Chirac, who was no lover of Israel.

So: Continue to enjoy your French wine – and, if you insist on Kosher wine, the majority of Kosher wine types come from France! And don’t forget that pâté de foie gras was invented by French Jews too!

Coming to a suburb near you

Watching the Muslim Riot taking place in Kensington this evening, I was struck by a sense of déjà vu. I recalled the riots of 2005 in France, ultimately affecting 274 towns, when “disaffected youths” took to the streets. These young Muslims of the euphemistically-termed banlieues sensibles – nearly all French born – were expressing their disapproval of the French system of governance, which had largely fed and clothed them, but had in many cases failed to supply them with a lucrative not-too-taxing job, such as enjoyed by the well-heeled fonctionaires from the leafier suburbs. Result? 8,973 vehicles burned, 126 police and fire-fighters injured and more than €200 million of damage caused. The three policemen injured this evening and the shattered shops in the High Street are only a modest effort – but it’s a start. At least this was – to quote the BBC – “ largely a peaceful demonstration”. And only after SKY had broadcast the extent of the casualties was our esteemed Corporation prepared to admit to some injuries among the police, and some damage to property.

Of course it is perfectly understandable – especially to our more liberal colleagues – that “passions should be enflamed” by current events in Gaza; just as they were by disrespectful cartoons of the Prophet, or by the war in Iraq – or by any one of a hundred events happening anywhere in the world.

This is the real Globalization menace; you may live in the suburbs of London, but you are still as vulnerable as the Parisian, or the Hindu in Mumbai.

Gaza Campaign - Tenth Day

I suppose many have been following the Gaza campaign on our TV and radio Channels. By and large, there is the usual amount of anti-Israeli bias - especially from the BBC. The latter insists on misquoting - or not fully quoting, or quoting out of context - various eminent figures, thus painting Israel in a worse light than they intended. For example, President Sarkozy of France called the Hamas actions "irresponsible and unpardonable" as broadcast by French TV and radio - this was not relayed by the BBC. Today mortars were fired from UN schools where Gazans were hiding; this is of course a War Crime on the part of Hamas. The Israeli response was, unfortunately, lethal - but fully justified under international law. However, the use of human shields by Hamas is proving a difficult strategy to overcome. It is a win-win strategy for Hamas - as one of their leaders boasted to a German Radio station:

"When we store our weapons under a school, if they don't find them - we win.
And if they find them and bomb them - we also win."

And the Gazans suffer from it, as this report from April 2008 noted

“Residents of a Gaza town complained this week after Hamas forces constructing a
weapons storage facility under the local schoolhouse severed a water main.”

Last year the IDF succeeded in video-ing mortars being fired from one of the UN Gaza schools bombed this year. So no surprises there.

One of the incredible sights in our media today was the Mad Doctor Madz Gilbert ranting like a lunatic in the Shifa Hospital. It turn out that he really is a crazed Hamas supporter -thanks to Melanie Philips for researching this.

How can the media portray such a lunatic as a humanitarian medic?

Very easy - if you are the BBC.