Why did the BBC News website erase an accurate statement?

Some eleven hours after publication, a BBC report was rewritten.

Throughout the past seven months we have repeatedly documented the fact that the BBC has tried to downplay Hamas’ role in initiating, organising and facilitating the ‘Great Return March’ violent rioting along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. For example:

BBC again fails to adequately clarify Hamas’ role in Gaza border agitprop

BBC News plays down Hamas role in Gaza violence – part one

BBC News plays down Hamas role in Gaza violence – part two

BBC tries to erase Hamas’ role in ‘Great Return March’ violence

It therefore came as something of a surprise to find that in a report published on the BBC News website’s Middle East page late on the evening (UK time) of October 28th – relating to an incident which had taken place earlier the same evening – BBC audiences were finally informed that:

Original version

“Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting weekly along the border with Israel since March.

The protests, orchestrated by the territory’s militant Hamas rulers, are held in support of the declared right of Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.” [emphasis added]

Remarkably though, some eleven hours after its initial publication that article – titled “Israeli strike ‘kills Gaza youths planting bomb’” – was completely rewritten and re-dated, with all mention of Hamas’ role in organising the violence erased.

The revamped report did however mention the rocket attacks launched two and a half days earlier against Israeli civilians which the BBC had ignored at the time.

As we see, the BBC knows full well that the past seven months of violence along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip has been instigated by Hamas and other terror groups.

Nevertheless, the corporation obliged to “provide accurate and impartial news” to its funding public continues to do its best to downplay information which is crucial to audience comprehension of the story that it has been reporting since the end of March.

Related Articles:

BBC News again yawns at missile attacks on southern Israel

 

 

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