In the early hours of March 17th (Israel time) the BBC News website published a report by David Gritten about a counter-terrorism operation that had taken place in Jenin the previous day.
Both the report’s headline – “Jenin: Four Palestinians killed in Israeli raid” – and opening paragraph refrain from noting the fact that at least two of the people killed were members of terrorist organisations.
“Israeli forces have shot dead four Palestinians during an undercover raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials say.”
Using qualifying wording and punctuation which enables the BBC to adhere to its avoidance of the word terror except in quotes, the report continues:
“Israel’s military said troops killed two militants wanted for “terrorist activities” and a person who tried to attack them with a crowbar. They also exchanged fire with gunmen, it added.”
The BBC’s report does not inform readers that Nidal Khazem was claimed by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Yousef Shreim (or Abu Shrein according to some sources) was claimed by Hamas but rather attributes statements concerning their affiliations to the Palestinian health ministry:
“The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the deaths of Khazem and Shreim, who were senior figures in the militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas. It also identified the teenager as Omar Awadin and the fourth person who was killed as Luay al-Zughair, 37.”
The report does not clarify which of the latter two was the person who attacked the Israeli forces with a crowbar or whether the other had been shooting at them at the time and readers are not informed that al-Zughair was likely a member of Fatah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
Gritten’s report does however promote second-hand – and obviously unverified – quotes given to Reuters by an obviously partial “witness” who describes the Hamas terrorist as a “brother”. It also uncritically promotes quotes – including a claim of “brutal murder” – from a Palestinian Authority spokesman.
Gritten’s report adheres to the now standard BBC framing of background to the story:
“Israeli raids in the West Bank have become increasingly deadly since the start of the year, with both gunmen and civilians killed, as a wave of deadly Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis has continued.
More than 80 Palestinians – militants and civilians – have been killed by Israeli forces, and on the Israeli side, 13 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks, all civilians, except for a paramilitary police officer.”
As ever, readers are not informed that the vast majority of those “more than 80 Palestinians” were members of terrorist organisations and/or males engaged in violent activity – including terror attacks and rioting – at the time. That information is available in the public domain and there is hence no reason for the BBC to continue to fail to provide it to its audiences.
Related Articles:
BBC NEWS WEBSITE COVERAGE OF TWO DAYS OF TERRORISM
BBC NEWS AGAIN FAILS TO TELL ALL IN REPORT ON COUNTER-TERROR OP
BBC NEWS FAILS TO REPORT TERRORIST AFFILIATIONS OF ‘ARMED PALESTINIANS’
BBC NEWS WEBSITE AIRBRUSHING OF PIJ AND HAMAS
BBC RADIO AVOIDS THE TOPIC OF PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BBC VANISHING OF TERROR GROUPS
AN UNHELPFUL BBC BACKGROUNDER ON ‘ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN VIOLENCE’
