Palestinian Statehood Confirmed – By The BBC (with update)

The other day I was in a genteel local clothing store with a decidedly genteel clientele - the type of people who dress on weekdays almost as if they're going to church.  The staff, in manner and appearance, reflect the ethos.

In the background, as usual, there was no obtrusive "musack" but there were the pleasant strains of classical music from CDs that the store sells as a sideline. 

As I approached the changing rooms, garment in hand, I heard a well-dressed middle-aged man ask the genteel, middle-aged sales lady standing nearby what the music (Smetana's Vltava) was that was being currently played.

"I think it's Smetana," she said.  "But I'm not sure."

"Yes, it is Smetana," I heard myself saying, to smiles and nods.  Evidently the store was about to notch up another CD sale.

And then, for good measure, since these were obvious music-lovers, I added:  "It's very similar to the Israeli national anthem."

I suppose I expected to hear: "Really! How interesting!" or "That's a coincidence. I wonder why."

Not a bit of it.  The genteel customer and the genteel sales lady look profoundly shocked.  Then the lady threw her head back and roared an off-putting kind of laugh, while the man, not to be outdone, swiftly followed with curious hollow guffaws.  He didn't seem as keen to purchase a copy of the CD now.

Clearly not so appreciative of music after all, I thought, pulling the velvet curtains of the changing room behind me.

"Perhaps they're Methodists," I mused, as I struggled into my selected garment.  "After all, the Methodists have just said nasty things about Israel at their conference.  But come to think of it, so have the Anglicans ..."

But the truth is that they were probably just two more nice middle-class Britons who have been, without even realising it, indoctrinated against Israel and in favour of the Palestinians by the constant drip-feed from their agenda-filled national broadcaster, the BBC.

Indeed, it seems to me that in some respects the anti-Israel propaganda on the BBC News website is getting bolder, with recent pieces by Farhana Dawood and Jon Donnison exemplifying this trend.

The BBC, so prone to present a distorted narrative of history in order to serve the ends of political correctness and leftist agendas both at home and abroad, has now excelled itself in the propaganda stakes.  Reflecting the position of the PLO, Fatah and the Palestinian Arabs, who have still to negotiate their way to what they desire, the BBC is now brazenly describing Palestine as a country, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Had the BBC chosen to declare that Israel comprises the whole of Mandate Palestine, as Likudniks want, there would be an outcry.  Its presentation of Palestine as a state with East Jerusalem as its capital, which is equally inaccurate, since it reflects a wish-list, should not be permitted to go unchallenged.

(Hat tip: reader Shirlee, who also draws attention to these photos of the world's largest open-air prison)


Meanwhile, as the above screenshot and this excellent article demonstrates (hat tip reader Ian), Israel apparently has no capital at all ...

Update: Following a slew of complaints, including one from Mark Regev, the BBC has been shamed into making this amendment regarding Israel: "Seat of Government: Jerusalem but most embassies are in Tel Aviv" and this regarding the non-existent state of Palestine: "Intended seat of government East Jerusalem. Ramallah serves as administrative capital".