When Palestinans elect Hamas to lead them, when they vote for an organisation committed to driving the Jews out of Israel, the BBC reports that Hamas has won an election. When Israel elects a right wing coalition led by Bibi Netanyahu which is committed to a two state solution, the mainstream media reports that the frigging Jews have elected a ultra-right wing coalition which threatens to set the region in flames. That was the tone of the discussion on the “impartial” Radio 4 flagship Today Programme today, centred on an interview with Jeremy Bowen. Who is he?
Bowen is the BBC’s reporter on the Middle East so it was one BBC man interviewing another and the narrative was clear. Why is the West Bank a tinderbox? Bowen answered that this was because last year in the area 150 Palestinians and c30 Jews were murdered. Clearly anyone just presented with that information would conclude that those bastard right wing Jews were a lot more into killing Arabs than vice versa.
But Bowen is, of course, not giving a full picture. How many of the 30 Jews killed were combatants, that is to say members of the IDF? And how many of the Arabs killed were combatants, that is to say folks throwing bombs or stones at Israelis, launching missiles at Israelis, or carrying knives and guns with an intent to kill Jews, not soldiers just Jews. Of course, you and I know the answer. The vast majority of Arabs killed, in fact nearly all, were combatants. The majority of dead Jews were non combatants, civilians.
So those killed by the IDF were killed to stop them killing Jews, usually civilians. Those killed by the Arabs were killed just for being Jewish.
Now if you put it that way it reflects what is actually happening on the ground. But Bowen opted not to do so. And his BBC colleague “interviewing” him opted not to pick him up on that point. And I can go to prison if I try to avoid paying for this filth and misrepresentation which would have made Julius Streicher proud.
The Ministry of Truth had a good day here in Airstrip One.