BBC Hypocrisy on Israel Exposed: A Journalistic Double Standard
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has come under fire for its handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, with accusations of hypocrisy and double standards in its reporting. According to an article in The National, the BBC’s editorial line on Israel has been questioned by one of its own presenters, Gary Lineker, who has pointed out the corporation’s inconsistent approach to reporting on the conflict.
In a recent exchange, Lineker rejected the idea that impartiality meant being neutral about “the mass murder of thousands of children”, which, he said, “is probably something that we should have a little opinion on”. This was in response to a comment from Amol Rajan, who argued that the BBC needed to be “impartial” in its reporting. Lineker fired back that the BBC needed to be “factual”, highlighting the difference between presenting facts and taking a neutral stance.
This exchange has sparked a wider debate about the BBC’s approach to reporting on Israel and Palestine. The National reports that the BBC has consistently treated Israeli claims as credible, often framing entire news stories around their denials and deflections. For example, during the recent Israeli massacre of 15 Red Crescent medics and first responders, the BBC reported Israeli claims that their ambulances had no emergency lights showing, which footage later proved to be false.
The BBC’s handling of this story has been widely criticised, with many accusing the corporation of perpetuating Israeli lies and distortions. As The National notes, “the BBC should have known that the Israeli state were likely lying, not just because of the absurdity of their claims, but because over and over again Israel’s statements about their atrocities have been proven to be falsehoods and distortions”.
The issue of context is also a contentious one. Rajan argued that the Israeli position on Gaza is a response to the slaughter and capture of innocent Israelis on October 7, and that full context needs to be provided. However, Lineker countered that “that’s not the full context, is it? Because the full context starts way before October 7, doesn’t it?” This exchange highlights the difficulties of reporting on a complex and contentious issue, and the need for nuanced and balanced reporting.
The BBC’s coverage of Israel and Palestine has been accused of reflecting a pro-Israeli bias, with many accusing the corporation of ignoring or downplaying Palestinian suffering. As The National reports, “potentially hundreds of thousands slaughtered; the indiscriminate destruction of civilian infrastructure, like homes, hospitals, schools, universities, mosques, libraries and churches; deliberate starvation; torture; forced disappearance; rape – we could go on”. The article cites a recent report by two Israeli historians, Amos Goldberg and Daniel Blatman, who concluded that “this is precisely what genocide looks like”.
The BBC’s handling of this story has sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the corporation of failing to report accurately and fairly on the conflict. As Lineker noted, “if someone says it’s raining, and another person says it’s dry, it’s not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out the fucking window and find out which is true”. This criticism is echoed by The National, which argues that the BBC has a responsibility to report accurately and truthfully on the conflict.
In conclusion, the BBC’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict has been widely criticised, with accusations of hypocrisy and double standards in its reporting. As The National notes, the corporation has a responsibility to report accurately and fairly on the conflict, and to provide context and balance to its reporting. The criticism of the BBC’s handling of this story highlights the challenges of reporting on complex and contentious issues, and the need for nuanced and balanced reporting.
The article by The National also quotes Lineker as saying that he has been a rare public voice speaking out when so many others have been cowards, a terrible sin during a genocide facilitated by your government. The article concludes that the BBC will have very searching questions to answer indeed when the reckoning comes.
References:
The National – Owen Jones: Gary Lineker perfectly highlighted BBC hypocrisy on Israel
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