BBC responds over new complaints

PSC head office, London, has released a positive statement about media relations - which is here in full:

 

Some good news today.

On 1^st April, BBC Online ran an article headlined ‘Palestinians formally join International Criminal Court’

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32144186

The article included this information:

‘On Wednesday, the Palestinians became the 123rd member of the ICC, 90 days after they lodged a declaration accepting the jurisdiction of the court over alleged crimes committed in the occupied territories of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza from 13 June 2014.

This covers events prior to and during last summer's 50-day conflict between Israel and militants in Gaza, which left more than 2,200 people dead.’

There was no breakdown of those killed ie that the vast majority were Palestinian, and it’s not the first time that the BBC has done this.

A FN volunteer complained, via the complaints form on the website, and received the standard brush off. This was the reply from BBC Complaints:

We understand you feel the report lacks accuracy. In particular you feel the figures cited did not take into account that the majority of those killed were Palestinians.

‘We reviewed the article in light of your concern and we point out the main focus for the report was that Palestine has formally joined the International Criminal Court (ICC). The figure of 2,200 was only quoted in reference to the fact that Palestine is seeking justice for alleged war crimes, therefore details of the figure was not relevant in this context of the report.

‘We are grateful to you for taking the time to let us know of occasions when you believe we fall short of our own standards and we hope this allays any concerns you might have regarding our coverage.’

The FN volunteer responded to say that the ICC could be investigating events that took place during the 50 day period of Israel’s assault. Therefore, the number of Palestinians killed during that period - a massive number - is entirely relevant in the context of this report. In fact, in the context of this report, more could be made of that figure – the number of children killed, the number of civilians killed, the disproportionate number of Palestinians killed, how great that number was in comparison to the Israelis killed etc – in order to give examples of what crimes the Israelis could be charged with.

This reply was received yesterday from the BBC: ‘Thank you for your further e-mail regarding our article reporting that the Palestinians had formally joined the International Criminal Court.

‘I disagree with our initial response and believe you have a point regarding the breakdown of casualty figures. Although these statistics have featured regularly throughout our coverage of the Middle East, in recognition of your concerns we’ve since added a paragraph stating:

‘At least 2,189 were Palestinians, including more than 1,486 civilians, according to the UN. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers were killed along with six civilians.’

An important victory. And the BBC has used the new phrasing again in an online story about Israel hitting UN shelters in Gaza: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32479271

Hopefully, it will continue to use the breakdown of casualty figures in all future reporting where it mentions how many were killed.

With many thanks to the volunteer who made and followed through the complaint.

 

 

Soldiers use wind-up as shoot-to-kill excuse

Israeli soldiers shot and killed, on Friday 24th April at night, a young Palestinian named Ali Sa‘id Abu Ghannam, 16 years of age, near the Zaim military roadblock, east of occupied Jerusalem. The Palestinian News & Info Agency WAFA has reported that the soldiers stopped the Palestinian, who was walking with a young woman from his family, and started provoking the two, before the soldiers uttered vulgar words towards the young woman. The incident caused the young man to engage in a scuffle with the soldiers before one of them shot him dead. The army is alleging the Palestinian “attempted to stab a soldier," and was shot  dead while trying to flee the scene. The Israeli army refused to hand the body of the slain Palestinian to the Red Crescent ambulance that arrived on the scene, and took it to an unknown destination. 
A straightforward case, perhaps: Israeli soldiers insult a Palestinian woman; her male companion springs to her defence and the soldiers kill him. But the Israeli police alleged the young Palestinian arrived at the roadblock “and started running towards the soldiers while carrying a butcher knife.” Ynet News quoted a police statement alleging that one of the soldiers managed to hold the Palestinian, “but he continued to run towards the soldiers,” and they shot him dead. The Israeli story is the one the BBC carried.
http://www.imemc.org/article/71348

West Bank protesters shot

• 
  Israeli forces shoot Palestinian in eye during clashes
  JERUSALEM (Ma‘an) 16 Apr -- A Palestinian was critically injured after being shot in the eye with a rubber-coated steel bullet during clashes with Israeli forces in the al-‘Issawiya village of occupied East Jerusalem lateWednesday. Member of a local committee in al-‘Issawiya, Muhammad Abu al-Hummus, said that Suleiman Mahmoud al-Tarbi, 20, was leaving his home when he was "directly" targeted by Israeli forces from a short range. Abu al-Hummus added that al-Tarbi fell to the ground when he was injured, before being assaulted and detained by Israeli forces despite his injuries. Al-Tarbi was taken to the Hadassa Ein Karem Hospital. Clashes erupted in the al-‘Issawiya village late Wednesday after Israeli soldiers raided the street across from the Maale Adumim settlement. Three Palestinian youths were also injured with rubber-coated steel bullets in their lower extremities ... Al-Tarbi's injury is one of many inflicted at the hands of Israeli forces. The United Nations estimates that Israeli forces injured a total of 1,190 Palestinian children in the West Bank during 2014. More than in 1 in 5 of the injuries were caused by Israeli forces' use of live ammunition, with the rest from rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas inhalation, and assault.
  http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760508
  
  Another Palestinian loses eye to police sponge bullet
  Haaretz 16 Apr by Nir Hasson -- A Palestinian youth has lost an eye, apparently as a result of being shot at with a sponge bullet. It is the latest of a series of similar incidents in which Palestinian youths and children, primarily in East Jerusalem, have lost eyes to sponge bullets fired by the Israeli security services. Sliman [or Suleiman] al-Tardi, a resident of the West Bank living in ‘Issawiya, was injured on Wednesday night when he went out to buy cigarettes, according to his own account. Palestinian youths were clashing with Israeli police in the area at the time. Tardi was operated on at Jerusalem's Hadassah University Hospital in Ein Karem on Thursday, but the doctors were unable to save his eye. Less than two weeks ago, Zakariya Julani, a 13-year-old boy from the Shu‘afat refugee camp in Jerusalem, also lost an eye in similar circumstances....
  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.652239
  
  Israeli forces continue to target Bil‘in, 2 protesters shot
  RAMALLAH (Ma‘an) 17 Apr -- Two Palestinians were shot, one with live fire, and up to 60 protesters suffered excessive tear gas inhalation when Israeli forces violently suppressed the Bil‘in weekly march on Friday. Hundreds of Palestinians are reported to have taken part in the march against the separation wall, also marking Palestinian Prisoner's Day. Israeli forces fired live and rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters as well as tear-gas canisters. Ahmad Mohammad Mansour, 17, was shot in the chest with a live bullet and was taken to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, while Munther Ameera was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the lower extremities and treated on the scene. Among those who suffered excessive tear gas inhalation were Palestinian Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Qarage, Minister of Agriculture Walid Assaf, lawmaker Mustafa al-Barghouthi, and Palestinian journalist Linda Shalash ... This year marked the tenth consecutive year of weekly marches against the Israeli separation wall in Bilin, which was constructed on Palestinian land in 2005. In response to the protests, the village has been a target of frequent raids and arrests by Israeli forces.
  http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?id=760533
  
  Israeli forces shot five in Kafr Qaddum
  [with video] KAFR QADDUM, Occupied Palestine (ISM, Huwwara Team) 17 Apr -- This week’s Friday demonstration in Kafr Qaddum followed the same violent pattern as the previous ones during the past weeks. The Israeli occupation forces began their shooting before the demonstration even started. Soldiers and border police fired tear gas, stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition at the protestors.Hammam Khalid Aqil, age 19, was hit by two rubber-coated steel bullets, one in his leg and one in his head. He was badly injured and while he was still unconscious the Israeli army arrested him and took him to a hospital in Israel where he is now under intensive care. His condition is extremely serious, even so it took several hours before his parents were allowed to come and see him at the hospital ... The occupation forces met the demonstration with terrifying brutality.  They used the skunk-water truck to spray down not only protestors but family homes and gardens covering the village in a foul stink. At least five more people were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets. Maamoun Shtaiwi, 36, and Anna Johnson, a 30 year old ISM volunteer, were both shot in the head and taken to the hospital in Nablus where they were treated for their wounds. Maamoun’s injury required 13 stitches. One Palestinian activist was hit in the leg, and one in the chest, and an Israeli photographer had the camera on his helmet smashed.
  http://palsolidarity.org/2015/04/israeli-forces-shot-five-in-kafr-qaddum/
  
  When shooting a Palestinian in the back is merely 'reckless'
  +972 blog 15 Apr by Alma Biblash -- Why trust the military to investigate itself when soldiers who kill unarmed Palestinians are let off the hook time and time again? -- In January 2013, an Israeli soldier shot a 16-year-old Palestinian who posed absolutely no threat in his back. Samir Awad, from the village Budrus, didn’t survive the valiant military operation, and was killed. Last December, the High Court of Justice harshly criticized the Military Advocate General’s (MAG) handling of the case calling on it to finish its investigation. On Tuesday, the State announced that it would charge the soldier with reckless and negligent use of a firearm. Had the incident not ended with the death of a teenager, it could have come off as no more than a silly act of mischief. Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, which accompanied the Awad family throughout the legal process, called the decision a “new low in Israeli authorities’ disregard for the lives of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. The State Attorney’s Office has sent security forces in the Occupied Territories a clear message: if you kill an unarmed Palestinian who poses no threat, we will do everything to cover it up and ensure impunity.” According to Yesh Din, an Israeli organization that provides legal assistance to Palestinians in the occupied territories that has researched this issue in the past few years, 97.8 percent of the Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) investigations vis-à-vis harm caused to Palestinians have ended without indictments.
  http://972mag.com/when-shooting-a-palestinian-in-the-back-is-merely-reckless/105549/

The BBC rolls over for Israel

This week's guest blogger, Amena Saleem, describes the BBC's latest inexplicable 'default' support for the Occupation succinctly:  http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/amena-saleem/bbc-hands-airwaves-over-israels-minister-war

Israeli forces stop school bus for 2 hours

 NABLUS:  Israeli forces held a children's school bus on the main road leading from Nablus for two hours late on Monday 6th April claiming one of the children had thrown a stone at Jewish settlers from the bus. A Palestinian Authority liaison official in Nablus, Usama Abu Arab, said that Israeli forces stopped the bus, carrying children between the ages of 10 and 12, along the main road between Nablus and the Israeli  'settlement' of Yitzhar. The bus was returning to Ramallah from a school trip. The children are students at Shuhadaa Silwad school in Ramallah. Abu Arab said that the bus was released after two hours. An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed that Israeli forces had stopped a bus because rocks were allegedly "hurled" by people on board, although she had "no information about (the stone throwers) being children." She said there were no injuries or arrests. Asked why there had been no arrests when Israeli forces claimed rocks had been hurled, she said: "Every case is dealt with differently... This case was dealt with as it was meant to be." Israeli authorities regularly detain Palestinians for alleged stone throwing incidents. Last March marked two years that five boys from the northern West-Bank village of Hares have been held under administrative detention over such allegations. Despite heavily contested evidence, the boys, aged 16 to 17 at the time of their arrest, each faces 20 charges of attempted murder and potential life imprisonment for  - allegedly -  throwing stones.
http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760333