Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Sunday 4 May 2014

Cordelia's Canards: More mischief from Al Beeb

This squalid little piece of BBC mischief-making, which the anti-Israel Vicar of Virginia Water linked to yesterday for the benefit of his Facebook faithful (along with an introductory comment of his own), was  written by Al Beeb reporter Cordelia Hebblethwaite.

Her article is headed "Support for Israeli soldier who aimed gun at teen".

The admirable Hadar Sela, of BBC Watch, has the item's measure, describing it (in a must-see post that includes the details) as "yet another inaccurate item from BBC Trending":

"The article relates to a story which broke last week concerning an incident which took place near Beit Hadassa in Hebron. At least four Palestinian activists – not two as Hebblethwaite claims in her piece – from the opaquely funded organization 'Youth Against Settlements' approached a soldier with the clear intention to provoke a reaction. Two of them were filming the pre-planned provocation and the video was later uploaded to the internet.David HaNahlawi story BBC Trending
Later mistaken reports stated that the soldier had been removed from his brigade as a result of the incident, sparking a wave of expressions of support from fellow soldiers and others, not as Hebblethwaite disingenuously claims – praising the soldier for aiming his gun at the youths, but expressing identification with a soldier targeted by the agitprop of a group of organized provocateurs who, as Hebblethwaite herself reports, were aiming to create an incident designed "to "shame and embarrass" the Israeli military".
Hebblethwaite fails to provide readers with any context regarding attempted kidnappings of Israeli soldiers or violent attacks against them. She refrains from reminding audiences that just months ago another soldier was shot in the neck in the same city. In the paragraph in which she relates to the reactions of Israeli politicians to the incident, Hebblethwaite highlights Minister Bennett's use [on a Facebook post; see right and below] of the phrase "David the warrior", but neglects to clarify to English-speaking audiences that 'warrior' is a translation of the Hebrew word  לוחם and means a soldier involved in active duty rather than one with a desk job.
Not content with misrepresenting the story to BBC audiences herself, Hebblethwaite also amplifies the messaging of 'Youth Against Settlements' coordinator Issa Amro but refrains from providing BBC audiences with details of the full range of Amro's activities, his International Solidarity Movement links (apparently including financial arrangements) and his organisation's connections - all of which are necessary to view his statements in their appropriate political perspective.
Hebblethwaite's intention in this article is entirely transparent. She – along with the editors who concocted the misleading titles and sub-heading to the report – seek to amplify and promote Amro's baseless claim that "Israeli society is getting more aggressive and extreme".
Apparently BBC Trending needs reminding that it is not the task of an organization supposedly committed to editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality to provide free publicity and amplification of agitprop for anti-Israel political organisations often involved in violence."
An agitprop which, needless to say, includes the spread of Israel-demonising comments like Sizer's on social media.

See Hadar Sela's entire piece here

2 comments:

  1. "Inaccurate"? That's one way of putting it.

    Cordelia is fast becoming another Jeremy.

    What a sewer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With honourable exceptions - I consider Paul Wood an outstanding example - Al Beeb's ME correspondents seem to cast themselves in Jezza's image sooner or later.

      Delete

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