Complaining to the BBC, I have not forgotten (update)

Of all the complaints that I have made to the BBC about bias the one that dated back to 30 August last year always seemed the most incontrovertible and thus the one that I kept chasing up. For the full chain of complaints and responses this post from 13 June will bring you up to date. So I was intrigued to receive a response to my last chasing email just an hour and 14 minutes before the response I received re my Gerry Adams complaint (see previous post).

Here is the email that I received:

'Alison Wilson to me 27 Jun (3 days ago)

Thank you for your email.

I'm writing to let you know that your complaint has now been referred to the Head of Accountability for BBC News, who will arrange for a reply to be sent to you. You can expect to receive this within 20 working days, which is the BBC's target response time for Stage 2 complaints.

Regards

Alison Wilson

Complaints Manager
Editorial Complaints Unit
5170 White City
London W12 7TS '

20 working days, I make that 25th July. I do hope that the Head of Accountability for BBC News actually addresses my complaint rather than issuing an 'impartiallity is in our genes' assurance. In case he/she is reading this posting, the main question I have and it is one that arises from Tariq Kafala's response is this:
'The BBC reported in August 2010 the despicable comments made by an extremist Israeli rabbi but when I asked why the BBC did not report the genocidal comments regularly made by Hamas and Fatah leaders (both secular and clerical), and I gave examples, I was told that 'We do not report every inflammatory comment by Israelis or Palestinians. There are many on both sides.'

When I pointed out that this was not a satisfactory response and explained why, I was told by Tarik Kafal (Middle East Editor, BBC News Website) in an email of 21 December that 'To report the shrill and extreme statements of some of the Hamas firebrands is therefore misleading.' Yet the BBC were happy to report the extreme statements of one firebrand Israeli Rabbi. This leads to my key question and main complaint:

So my key question is this: Why is it 'misleading' to report the words of 'Hamas firebrands' but not those of an Israeli firebrand?


I await my next email with interest.

Hree is the email that I sent back...

'Many thanks for that. Please ensure that the Head of Accountability (what is their name, by the way?) addresses my key question which is this:

'The BBC reported in August 2010 the despicable comments made by an extremist Israeli rabbi but when I asked why the BBC did not report the genocidal comments regularly made by Hamas and Fatah leaders (both secular and clerical), and I gave examples, I was told that 'We do not report every inflammatory comment by Israelis or Palestinians. There are many on both sides.'

When I pointed out that this was not a satisfactory response and explained why, I was told by Tarik Kafal (Middle East Editor, BBC News Website) in an email of 21 December that 'To report the shrill and extreme statements of some of the Hamas firebrands is therefore misleading.' However the BBC were happy to report the extreme statements of one firebrand Israeli Rabbi.  This leads to my key question and main complaint:

Why is it 'misleading' to report the words of 'Hamas firebrands' but not those of an Israeli firebrand?

Regards
NotaSheep MaybeaGoat'