Spectator reports on perceived bias and copmplaints ref GAZA and BBC

An MP is shocked by al Beeb - from THE SPECTATOR

Monday, 5th January 2009
Three cheers for Tory MP Michael Fabricant, who says he has been ‘horrified and angered’ by the BBC’s coverage of the Gaza conflict, and will be making a formal complaint to the Chairman of the BBC Trust about it:
While paying scant regard to the provocation of 10,000 rockets fired at Israeli civilians from Gaza over the last seven years, the BBC has chosen to broadcast 'human interest' stories reminiscent of salacious photos in the cheaper red top newspapers. Thus I heard a heart rending report from a Palestinian in Cyprus how he imagined - yes: IMAGINED! - Gaza's streets would be running with the blood of dead Arab children. After that, the BBC located individuals in Gaza who have taken the opportunity of repeating over the BBC what they have already said on Al Jazeera. No balance there then. And today I heard an ‘unbiased report from a British aid worker in Gaza, from Islamic Relief’. Oh come on!
But perhaps the worst interview of all was with the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic who dared to suggest that every country has a right to defend its citizens, that Hamas had walked away from negotiations, that they had resumed firing rockets into Israel unprovoked, and that Israel's actions are therefore defensive and not offensive. The ire and vitriol of the BBC interviewer was extraordinary. Paxman and Humphreys are pussy cats in comparison. The Czech minister sounded shell shocked. And so was I. Commendable as is Fabricant’s reaction, it is not enough for him to write to the Chairman of the BBC Trust. The BBC’s collusion with Hamas, along with coverage whose incendiary distortions cannot but have incited hatred of Israel among its viewers and listeners, should be the subject of an emergency debate in Parliament. It would be interesting to know whether the Tory front bench agree with Michael Fabricant -- or think there is nothing wrong with the BBC’s coverage. Those MPs from whatever party who understand just what is at stake in Gaza for western civilisation – alas, there aren’t many of them but there are some -- and the deeply alarming role being played in this by the BBC should now raise the alarm.

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