Israel's war on Palestine: ordnance and propaganda

Readers will be interested in this email exchange between me and the BBC on 14 and 15 July 2014.

My complaint:

"COMPLAINT TO BBC

Throughout today's edition of Today on 14 July 2014 the news updates referred always to 'Israel's security operation in Gaza.' I suppose that refers to Israel's massive aerial bombardment of Gaza. Did the BBC invent that phrase or was it handed to them, as is so often, by its propagandist for Israel?

The term might well come from Airstrip One as it's a brilliant example of Newspeak. Mind you, I think that some Zionists might think that the term, 'security operation' doesn't quite pay justice to Israel's generous action in getting kindly pilots to drop chocolates and toys from their wonderful flying machines onto the grateful children of Gaza below."

The BBC's reply:

"Dear Mr Bennett 

Thank you for contacting us about the recent escalation in violence in Gaza and southern Israel. 

We have received a wide range of feedback about our coverage of this story across our television and radio programmes and the BBC News website. In order to use our TV licence fee resources efficiently, this response aims to answer the key concerns, but we apologise in advance if it doesn’t address your specific points in the manner you would prefer. 

 BBC News has reported extensively on Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza. Reports on the BBC News Channel, on BBC One’s main news bulletins and during radio news bulletins have detailed the series of airstrikes on Gaza. We have reported on the mounting civilian deaths and casualties following Israel Defence Force airstrikes, and on the infrastructural destruction of an already isolated and densely populated area.

 Our reporting has followed the unfolding of these events, as information has become available, as part of our very extensive coverage. Across this coverage we have heard from those who believe Israel’s response has been disproportionate and amounts to collective punishment of the Palestinians, as well as from those who disagree. 

We have reported on the context of the conflict in light of Israel’s continuing blockade of the strip and on the resulting socio-economic deprivation. We have also detailed the considerable differences between Hamas and Israel’s respective military capabilities and have detailed Israel’s modern defence systems, such as Iron Dome:  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28245343  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28252155  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20415675 

BBC News has also examined the cause of the conflict, as seen by each side, including the impact of the blockade and the occupation. We believe we have reported on these issues in a fair and impartial manner. Please be assured we raised your concerns with senior editorial staff at BBC News. T

hank you, once again, for taking the time to contact us. 

Kind Regards 

 BBC Complaints"

The BBC appears to have been stung by criticism, not only by me, of its terminology in describing Israel's bombardment of Gaza. The term "security operation" is surely Orwellian and might well have come from Monty Python. The BBC is so entrenched in it's pro-Zionist bias that it loses all contact with reality.

I have learned that there was a demonstration outside Broadcasting House in London on 15 July. This was referred to by Michelle Hussein, the Today presenter, in a piece concerning Gaza. This consisted of an interview with Jonathan Freedland (who writes for the Guardian, the BBC and the Jewish Chronicle) and Greg Philo, Professor of Communications and Social Change at Glasgow University and author of the book "Bad News for Israel".

The piece begins at 02:39:00 in and can be found following the link below: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04982j9