BBC News misleads on Ethiopia-born MKs

On May 15th a report headlined “Israel gets first Ethiopia-born minister, in Pnina Tamano-Shata” was published on the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page.

The caption to the main image illustrating that otherwise reasonable report reads “Pnina Tamano-Shata, a former journalist, was the first Israeli MP born in Ethiopia”.

As the GPO pointed out two days later, Ms Tamano Shata is not “the first Israeli MP born in Ethiopia”.

To date eight MKs born in Ethiopia have served in the Knesset. Prior to Ms Tamano-Shata becoming an MK in 2013, four other Ethiopia-born MKs served in the Knesset: Adisu Massala (1996), Shlomo Molla (2008), Rabbi Mazor Bahaina (2008) and Alali Adamso (2012). 

CAMERA UK has contacted the BBC regarding the inaccurate claim in that photo caption.

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7 Comments

  1. says: Neil C

    Historical records will always be factually incorrect and totally biased if you let the BBC produce and maintain them on their website. A supposed unbiased and impartial corporation does not itself comprehend those words and is accountable only to itself and it’s Islamic paymasters rather than the public that are press ganged into paying towards their treachery of the kingdom they supposedly represent.

  2. says: Elena

    You are correct in that she is not the first member of Parliament, but she is the first Minister to serve in the Israeli government. The BBC article did not claim that she is the first MP – but that she is the first Minister.

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