As documented here previously, the BBC News website did not report the murder of an Israeli father of four by a Palestinian terrorist on September 16th.
BBC News website ignores fatal terror attack in Gush Etzion
One week later, on the afternoon of September 23rd, an article headlined “Ari Fuld killing: $1m raised for family by crowdfunders” was published on the BBC News website’s Middle East page. Despite the fact that the story has nothing whatsoever to do with events taking place along Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, the report was tagged “Gaza border clashes”.
As has been seen on numerous occasions in the past, the BBC ignored the history of the location of the attack on Ari Fuld, instead advancing its standard simplistic narrative of ‘settlements’ in ‘occupied’ territory.
“A crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $1m (£760,000; 850,000 euros) for the family of an American Israeli killed by a Palestinian a week ago.
It was set up after Ari Fuld was stabbed to death at a shopping centre in the Jewish settlement bloc of Etzion in the occupied West Bank.”
In line with the BBC’s chosen editorial policy concerning the language used when reporting on terror attacks against Israelis, the article refrained from describing Ari Fuld’s murder as an act of terror in the corporation’s own words. The sole reference to terrorism came in a quote:
“The US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who attended Mr Fuld’s funeral, tweeted that “America grieves as one of its citizens was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist”.”
Readers also found a recycled mantra based on PLO ‘media guidance’ which has been repeatedly promoted on the BBC News website over the past three years.
“Mr Fuld, 45, is the latest among dozens of Israelis to have been killed in stabbings, shootings and car-rammings, predominantly by Palestinians or Israeli Arabs since late 2015.
Some 300 Palestinians – most of them attackers, Israel says – have also been killed by Israeli security forces in that period, according to news agencies.
Israel says Palestinian incitement has fuelled the attacks. The Palestinian leadership has blamed frustration rooted in decades of Israeli occupation.” [emphasis added]
Throughout the three years “since late 2015” the BBC has refrained from producing any meaningful reporting on the topic of incitement and glorification of terrorism by Palestinian officials and so readers would be unable to judge for themselves whether or not what “Israel says” is accurate.
Likewise, the BBC consistently avoids providing its audiences with serious coverage of the topic of Palestinian Authority payments to terrorists and their families meaning that while readers of this story were once again told that Palestinians commit lethal terror attacks due to “frustration”, they were not informed of the financial incentives which apply to this specific story and others.
“The [Palestinian Authority] Prisoner Affairs’ Commission spokesman, however, added that Jabarin’s family would be eligible for funds, once it completes the necessary documentation and assuming Jabarin is not released by Israel.
“We are not bashful or secretive about our support for our prisoners,” he said. “The [Jabarin] family would be eligible to receive a monthly salary of NIS 1,400 ($390), if their son is not freed by Israel and it completes all the necessary documents.”
“Families must provide the Prisoners’ Commission with court documents about their imprisoned family member, papers from the Red Cross proving their family member was imprisoned on security grounds for resisting the occupation, a copy of their family member’s identification card and other forms before they receive funds,” Abd Rabbo said. “It is more or less impossible to finish this process in less than three months.”
Abd Rabbo also said that if Jabarin’s family were to be granted a salary and their son remains in prison for several years, the sum they receive would increase. Former PA Prisoners’ Affairs Minister Ashraf al-Ajrami confirmed the substance of Abd Rabbo’s comments.”
In contrast to that omission of obviously relevant information, the BBC did however find it necessary to provide readers of this article with the corporation’s standard yet partial narrative on ‘international law’.
“More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel’s 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
There are also some 100 outposts – small settlements built without the government’s authorisation.”
In other words, in an article about funds raised to help the family of the victim of a terror attack, BBC audiences found more references to ‘settlements’, ‘occupation’ and ‘international law’ than they did mentions of the word terror.
Related Articles:
BBC News website ignores fatal terror attack in Gush Etzion
BBC News goes from not reporting car rammings as terror to not reporting at all
BBC’s Yolande Knell reports from Gush Etzion – part one
BBC’s Yolande Knell reports from Gush Etzion – part two
Looking beyond the BBC’s simplistic portrayal of Gush Etzion
