On the afternoon of September 25th the BBC News website published a report by Tom Bennett headlined “Palestinians in West Bank stranded as Israel shuts only international crossing” which opens by telling readers that: 
“Israel has closed the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and neighbouring Jordan, stopping more than two million Palestinians from accessing the outside world.
The Israeli airports authority, which oversees the Allenby Bridge crossing, said it would be closed indefinitely from Wednesday morning “at the direction of the political leadership”. It did not provide a reason.
The closure has stranded many Palestinians in the West Bank, who are unable to go on planned trips abroad. Those who are abroad have been unable to travel home.
It comes days after two Israeli military personnel were shot dead near the crossing by a Jordanian gunman, who was killed at the scene.
It was briefly shut following that incident but had since reopened.”
Bennett does not bother to inform BBC audiences that following “that incident” eight days earlier on September 18th (which, in accordance with BBC editorial guidelines, he does not tell readers was a terror attack), the crossing was closed in order to allow an investigation into the attack and the introduction of new security procedures.
“An Israeli security source told Kan news that the deadly attack would likely interfere with Gaza aid delivery schedules, as the Israeli side of Allenby Crossing, as well as the route from the crossing to the Gaza border, would be closed for an unspecified period of time.
The IDF confirmed as much, saying on Thursday evening that it was recommending to the country’s political leadership to temporarily halt the transport of Gaza-bound aid through the Allenby Crossing.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir issued the recommendation following consultations with COGAT chief Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian and Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the military said.
The aid coming through the border crossing should be halted until an investigation is completed and the inspection procedures for Jordanian drivers are updated, they recommended.”
Neither does Bennett bother to inform readers of the relevant fact that a year earlier, a similar attack at the same location had also been carried out by a Jordanian lorry driver.
Notably, he also fails to note that the crossing was in any event scheduled to be closed between the afternoon of September 22nd and September 24th inclusive because of the Rosh HaShana national holiday.
Hours after the appearance of Bennett’s report, the Israel Airports Authority announced that the crossing would open the following morning:
“Israel will reopen the sole crossing accessible to Palestinians between the West Bank and Jordan on Friday, the three sides said, after it was closed ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, and was also shuttered for days following a deadly terror attack last week. […]
The Israel Airports Authority said the terminal would be open only for passenger traffic from Friday morning, “in accordance with the directive of the political echelon.” […]
The crossing reopened on Monday, but closed again ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which began Monday night and lasted until Wednesday night. […]
The crossing usually closes over Jewish holidays.”
The BBC News website did not however find it appropriate to either amend or take down Bennett’s obviously misleading article.
The fact that the closure for Rosh HaShana was scheduled in advance did not prevent the Palestinian Authority and others from claiming that it was ‘collective punishment’ related to unconnected matters.
Bennett chose to amplify that narrative by uncritically promoting claims made by Mustafa Barghouti, whom he describes as a “[p]rominent Palestinian politician” despite the fact that his party only won two seats out of 132 in Palestinian Legislative Council elections held nineteen years ago. The fact that the mandate of the PLC expired in 2010 and it has not met since 2007 clearly is not a cause for concern in Bennett’s view.
“Prominent Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti told the BBC the closure was a “dangerous move” that meant “imprisoning” people in the West Bank and “depriving them from [sic] the only passage out”. […]
“You’re talking here about disrupting the relationship between hundreds of thousands of families who are usually connected through Jordan,” Barghouti said.
“Thousands of people who are stuck in Jordan, they don’t have resources to go and pay for hotels. They cannot stay outside. There are mothers who live with their children in the West Bank who need to come back,” he added. […]
Palestinians fear its [the Allenby Bridge crossing] indefinite closure forms part of an Israeli response to moves announced this week by the UK, France, Australia, Canada and other countries to recognise the State of Palestine. […]
“It shows you that the world community has failed drastically in deterring Israel from expanding its oppressive policies,” said Barghouti. “Israel will not be restrained unless there are serious punitive acts.””
Obviously neither the veracity of those claims nor the real reason for the pre-announced closure of the crossing was of any interest to Bennett whatsoever, with the result being that BBC audiences were misled by an inaccurate report, the entire purpose of which was to amplify a specious, politically motivated narrative.
So much for the BBC’s claim to provide ‘accurate’ and ‘impartial’ journalism.
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