Ive just come across an atrocious BBC News article called Israeli families scarred by Gaza war [1] packed with false or misleading statements. The statements Ive noticed are all in reference to the cross-border tunnels built by Palestinian resistance groups. The tunnels are repeatedly characterized as being designed to attack civilians. The entire weight of the evidence indicates that this accusation is a lie. The article uncritically cites discredited Israeli propaganda that a tunnel opening was even found near a kibbutz dining hall and kindergarten. In fact, the first case was a misidentified old sewer opening and the second case was a reference to a tunnel whose exit was near an Israeli army security path more than a mile and a half from the kindergarten in question [2]. The article also sneakily mentions that Israelis were shocked by media reports that Hamas had planned on using such tunnels to commit a mass attack on Rosh Hashanah without mentioning the essential context that those media reports were never substantiated and were denied even by the chairman of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee [3]. The article describes the tunnels as a far [sic] sinister threat against Israeli citizens than the Palestinians rockets and mortars. In fact not a single Israeli civilian has ever come under attack—let alone been killed—by Palestinians whove entered through a tunnel from Gaza, compared with 30 who have been killed by rockets and mortars since 2004 [4], so its hard to understand how this statement can be justified. Worse, the caption beneath the photo of Palestinian fighters states Palestinian tunnels were built for attacking communities in Israel which clearly attributes intent to murder civilians. It is unimaginable that BBC News would similarly attribute murderous intent to Israeli forces with a caption such as Israeli gunboats patrol Gazas waters to shoot children (the analogy is imperfect since that is something which in fact happens). The only Israelis who were attacked by Palestinian fighters coming through tunnels were soldiers: four were killed on 21 July [5] and five were killed on 28 July [6]. Muhammad Deif, commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas), clarified that this was not coincidental: We prefer fighting and killing the soldiers of the enemys elite units than attacking civilians in the villages adjacent to Gaza [7]. Even an Israeli intelligence source asserted that the targets were soldiers [8]. Linking to an earlier BBC News article discussing Palestinian suffering [9] does not relieve BBC News of the requirement to remain factual in this one, according to its purported commitment to impartiality and accuracy. [1] Israeli families scarred by Gaza war BBC News 6 October 2014[bbc/news/world-middle-east-29503439] [2] Were Gaza tunnels built to harm Israeli civilians? Emanual Yelin, Local Call, 4 August 2014 (Hebrew), translated in 972 Magazine August 11 2014 [972mag/were-gaza-tunnels-built-to-harm-israeli-civilians/95279/] [3] Debunking Gaza war lies John Brown, Local Call 4 August 2014 (Hebrew), translated in 972 Magazine August 8 2014 [972mag/debunking-gaza-war-lies/95124/] [4] How many people have died from Gaza rockets into Israel? Phan Nguyen, Mondoweiss, August 29, 2014. [mondoweiss.net/2014/07/rocket-deaths-israel] [5] Israel united on Gaza offensive to eliminate militants tunnels BBC News 21 July 2014 [bbc/news/world-middle-east-28412422] [6] Ten Israeli soldiers killed in attacks BBC News 28 July 2014 [bbc/news/world-middle-east-28537600] [7] Statement broadcast on Al-Aqsa TV, 29 July 2014, translated by Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) [memri.org/clip_transcript/en/4386.htm] [8] Could Israeli soldiers, not civilians, be the target of the attack tunnels? Aaron J. Klein and Mitch Ginsburg, Times of Israel, July 29, 2014 [timesofisrael/soldiers-not-civilians-are-tunnel-infiltration-goals-says-senior-intelligence-source/] [9] Gaza: Life amid the rubble Yolande Knell, BBC, 15 September 2014[bbc/news/world-middle-east-29086193]
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 22:36:36 +0000
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