I am not a sheep, I have my own mind
I have had enough of being told what and how to think
Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech, I will speak out.
I also reserve the right to discuss less controversial matters should I feel the urge.
Yes I am avoiding opining on the latest round of Israel-Palestinian violence. My views on the general situation are well documented and I am sure everyone familiar with them could extrapolate from them. However the usual claim of Israel making a disproportionate response has been raised.
Apparently the might of the IDF armed with 'war planes', tanks and well armed soldiers versus a few thousand terrorists is disproportionate.
Oddly the same argument was not used when terrorists fire Katyusha missiles at Israeli civilians. Likewise proportionality was ignored when Islamic terrorists massacred the unarmed Fogle family in their
beds?Mind you in that instance, the BBC did their level best to ignore that story altogether.
The BBC have been in full two-minute hate mode in their coverage of the latest judicial instalment of the story of the unfortunate and accidental death of the 'peace campaigner' Rachel Corrie. In all the interviews with Rachel Corrie's family and representatives of the anti-Israel International Solidarity Movement I did not hear any interviewer ask the questions 'Were there any arms smuggling tunnels underneath the family home that Rachel Corrie was trying to protect?' and 'Did Rachel Corrie know that there were smuggling tunnels underneath the family home that she was trying to protect?'. I think we all know why the BBC would never ask such a question.
Bearing in mind the amount of coverage that the BBC have accorded to the death of Rachel Corrie, how much coverage have they ever given the deaths of these other Rachels?
'Some of the forgotten Rachels:
Rachel Levy (aged 17, blown up in a grocery store)
Rachel Gavish (killed with her husband, son and father while at home celebrating a Passover meal)
Rachel Charhi (blown up while sitting in a Tel Aviv cafe, leaving three young children)
Rachel Shabo (murdered with her three sons aged 5, 13 and 16 while at home)
Rachel Ben Abu (16, blown up outside the entrance of a Netanya shopping mall)
Rachel Kol,
53, who worked at a Jerusalem hospital and was killed with her husband
in a Palestinian terrorist attack in July a few days after the London
bombs.
Rachel Sela,
82, murdered the day before Purim on March 4th, 1996 when an
Palestinian suicide bomber exploded at Dizingoff Center, Tel Aviv.
Rachel Tajgatrio, 83, murdered while shopping in Jerusalem's "Machaneh Yehuda" market when 2 bombs went off on July 30th, 1997.
Rachel Thaler,
16 years old from Ginot Shomron died of her wounds on February 27 2002,
after a Palestinian bomber exploded in a shopping mall's food court,
killing 3, wounding 30.
Rachel Tamari,
61, murdered by a Palestinian bomb on the Dan #20 bus in Ramat Gan, on
July 24, 1995. 6 Israelis died in that attack, and dozens were wounded.
Rachel Drouk,
35, mother of 7 from the Shilo community was murdered by Palestinian
terrorist gunfire while on her way to a demonstration (October 28, 1991)
-- that negotiating with Palestinian terrorists would be dangerous to
Israel. The driver of her car, Yitzchak Rofeh was also killed and 5
others wounded.
Rachel Weiss,
26, pregnant and mother of 3 small children (Rafael, Netanel and
Efraim), were all murdered by Palestinian terrorists who threw a molotov
cocktail at her car in the Jordan Valley (October 31, 1988)
Rachel Weiss,
69, stabbed to death by Palestinian terrorists who were sent by Sheikh
Ahmed Yassin to as an "entrance test" to the Hamas organizations. She
was murdered in her home in Moshav Shapir, August 3rd, 1988.
Rachel Munk, 24,
[married 6 weeks earlier] was murdered in a drive-by terror attack by
on July 26, 1996, along with her husband Zeev Munk. The attack took
place on the Beit Shemesh - Kiryat Melachi road near Moshav Gefen.
Rachel Stern,
8 years old, stabbed to death, along with her mother, while eating
breakfast in their home in Kiryat Shmona, on April 11, 1974. 16 people
were murdered that day by Palestinian terrorists in that attack. Rachel Afita, 16, murdered by Palestinian terrorists in the Northern Israeli community of Maalot on May 15, 1974
Rachel Lev,
50, murdered by Palestinian terrorists when 5 bombs exploded throughout
the Haifa area on October 23, 1969. 7 people were killed in the
attack, including her husband Eliyahu and son Avraham.
Rachel Mizrachi, 38, stabbed to death by Arab terrorists in her home in Tiberias, October 2, 1939.
May their memories be blessed.'
Most of these Rachels have never merited more than a one line on the BBC, if that. None have had the manner and circumstances of their deaths examined in such detail as was accorded the death of Rachel Corrie. Yes Rachel corrie was British and thus to the BBC's eyes her death was more newsworthy but do these Rachels really deserve to die with their deaths unrecorded on the BBC?
I suppose that as with the vile murder of the Fogel family each of these murdered Rachels might have been killed during a 'very busy news period' but somehow I doubt that was the reason for the Rachels or the Fogel family. The real reason is clear to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Thanks to The Muqata for the list of murdered Rachels.
The BBC have finally admitted that "We Made a Mistake" over their coverage of the murder of the Fogel family. Honest Reporting have a good report but my point is that the BBC may have apologoised to Louise Mensch, as reported in the Jewish Chronicle.
The place where the Fogel family murders should have been reported as a headline story was the BBC Middle East news page, so that is where the apology should be placed - as a headline story. Does anybody think that this will happen?
Transcript:
PA TV host: "We have a call from the family of prisoner Hakim Awad."
Mother of Hakim Awad: "I thank you for connecting me with my son, because I and all of the family are prevented for security reasons [from visiting him].
Host: "Go ahead, sister, we can convey your voice."
Mother of Hakim Awad: "My greetings to dear Hakim, the apple of my eye, from the village of Awarta, 17 years old, who carried out the operation in Itamar (i.e., killing of 5 Fogel family members), sentenced to 5 life sentences and another 5 years, in prison."
Aunt of Hakim Awad: "I'm the sister of prisoner Hassan Awad and of Salah Awad; [I am] Um Habib, from the village of Awarta. My warm greetings to all the great heroic prisoners, to my brother Hassan Awad, head of the village council; to my brother Salah Awad, the heroic prisoner journalist; to the heroic, resolute prisoner, the lion, Yazid Awad, my nephew; and to my nephew Hakim Awad, the hero, the legend."
Host: "We [PA TV], for our part, also convey our greetings to them."
Aunt of Hakim Awad: "I dedicate this song to Hassan Awad, Yazid Awad, Hakim Awad, and Salah Awad, in prison:
'My brother, in solitary confinement, your voice calls to me
You dare not throw down the rifle
That is what the homeland asked of me
In your eyes, we are all self-sacrificing fighters.
I convey greetings to the sound of the bullets of Ahmad Sa'adat and Hakim Awad.'"
Host: "Thank you for being with us, the family of prisoners Hassan and Salah Awad of Awarta."
[PA TV (Fatah), Jan. 19 and 21, 2012]
Note: On March 11, 2011, five members of the Fogel family were killed in their home in the Israeli town Itamar by Palestinian terrorists from the Awad family. Hakim Awad led the attack, killing the parents Ehud and Ruth and three of their children, aged 11 years, 4 years, and 2 months.
Ahmad Sa'adat, mentioned in the song recited by Hakim Awad's aunt, is serving a 30-year sentence for heading the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror organization. He is also suspected of having planned the assassination of Israeli Minister of Tourism, Rehavam Ze'evi, in 2001, but was not tried.
This is coverage on the PA television station, the supposedly 'moderate' voice of Palestinians. Glorifying the murderers of an innocent Jewish family as 'heroic'. Partners in Peace? I think not.
'Nearly seven months for a response to a complaint, I would say that was far far too long.
I am a little confused by your reply for two reasons. First because although you say that ideally you would have reported Hamas' comments, I note that you have still not added them to the original page; why not?
Secondly you say that ' Mr Abbas is the Palestinian President and he governs in the area in which the murders took place.' I thought that under the terms of the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and Fatah/PLO Itamar was designated as an area under full Israeli civil and security control. Please could you explain your point.
I trust that you will manage a reply to this email in somewhat less than seven months this time.
Kind regards
NotaSheep MaybeaGoat'
I wonder how long I will have to wait for a response and what the BBC excuse will be this time...
The BBC have finally managed to respond to my complaint about the BBC's reporting of Palestinian reaction to the brutal murder of the Fogel family. Here's my original complaint from 18 April this year (almost seven months ago):
'Your news piece about the arrest of two Palestinians for the brutal murder of five members of the Fogel family includes this: 'The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them "immoral and inhuman".' OK that's the Palestinian Authority, what about Hamas? Here's what Hamas said to its Arab speaking audience: 'Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus. Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers. Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape.' Doesn't sound like a condemnation to me, how about you? So why are the BBC misleading the British people? Or did you not know what Hamas said about the murder of the Fogel family? If the latter is the case then you do now so please report what Hamas have said.
And the BBC's considered response?
'Dear Sir,
We are very sorry to have taken so long to respond to your email regarding http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13109092. Ideally, we should have reported Hamas' comments. There was obviously a range of Palestinian reaction. In our defence, Mr Abbas is the Palestinian President and he governs in the area in which the murders took place.
'Five Palestinian militants have been killed in a number of Israeli air strikes on the south of the Gaza Strip.
The violence is the most serious since a major prisoner exchange deal earlier this month between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist militant group that governs in Gaza.
The militants were killed at an Islamic Jihad training site in Rafah in the south of the strip.'
The BBC always ready to report what they would describe as the misdeeds of Israel They have yet to report the news that Quassam Count report:
'5:23pm: 2 rockets fired from Gaza towards the city of Ashdod in Israel'
The BBC do reluctantly report that:
'The Israeli air force has confirmed it carried out the attack. It said the militants were preparing to launch rockets into Israel.'
But no mention that rockets were fired at Israel. This is part of a pattern for the BBC: they report every Israeli attack but minimise any mention of Palestinian attacks on Israel. Hence any attack by Israel is reported on the Middle East page, if not on the news front page, but murderous Palestinian attacks on Israel such as the killing of the Fogel family are kept relatively quiet.
UPDATE:
Since I posted this piece there have been some more attacks on Israel, not that you would know if you rely upon the BBC for your news. Fortunately I follow Qassam Count so I do get to see more than the BBC would like us to see:
6:50pm: rocket fired from Gaza explodes near bnei shimon regional council in Israel
6:51pm: 2 mortar shells hit Eshkol Regional Council in Israel
In April I complained to the BBC about some 'deliberately misleading reporting' regarding the aftermath of the murder of the Fogel family. As six months have now passed without me receiving a reply I have sent the BBC a reminder....
Complaint type: BBC News
Location: England
What is your complaint about: BBC News Online
Address of the page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13109092
Full complaint: I originally complained about this report in April this year and have yet to receive a response. Here is the text of my original complaint. Your news piece about the arrest of two Palestinians for the brutal murder of five members of the Fogel family includes this: 'The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them "immoral and inhuman".' OK that's the Palestinian Authority, what about Hamas? Here's what Hamas said to its Arab speaking audience: 'Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus. Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers. Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape.' Doesn't sound like a condemnation to me, how about you? So why are the BBC misleading the British people? Or did you not know what Hamas said about the murder of the Fogel family? If the latter is the case then you do now so please report what Hamas have said.
Receive a reply: Yes
Contacted us before: Yes
Complaint related to previous contact: Yes
Reason for contacting again: Haven't received a response yet
Last night I posted a piece about the upcoming release of Gilad Shalit. I included this thought:
'The price for the release of this Israeli soldier? That would be the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. How many of those being released have killed or assisted in the murder of Jews in Israel? How many will kill or assist in killing in the future?'
This seems to have upset an anonymous commenter who asked 'How many are children?'
My answer is this; I don't know how many are children but here are some pictures of some of the children murdered or maimed by Palestinain terrorists between 2000 & 2006
That's just those aged less than five years of age. If you want to see the faces of the older children murdered or maimed by Palestinian terrorists between 2000 & 2006 take a trip to Daled Amos. The murdering of Jewish children did not stop in 2006, do you remember the Fogel family brutally murdered in their beds earlier this year?
So no, I do not know how many Palestinian children are being released, nor do I know of what crimes they were convicted. I know that many Palestinian terrorist atrocities have been or have used children in their commission. I also know that the Palestinian establishment brainwash their children to hate Jews and to see martyrdom as a desirable objective, I have posted on that subject many times before.
Earlier yesterday Alex a regular commenter asked me this:
'I notice you have made a huge number of Israel-related posts. Is there any particular reason you're so interested?'
I replied:
'I do seem to have made a lot of Israel related posts recently and it does trouble me slightly. This blog was not set up to cover Israeli issues... I am not Israeli, indeed I have never been to Israel; however I am Jewish. ... I see the barrage of hate that is fired at Israel by western liberals, especially the BBC, as vile and unfair.
I see the Isael question as one of the great moral questions of our time. I don't agree with every supporter of Israel but I find that anyone who opposes Israel is probably someone that I would not want to have dinner with.'
I think that the anonymous commenter that I quoted in the title of this piece fits into the latter of those two categories.
'Settlers in Itamar were outraged Sunday morning after Palestinians from Awarta arrived in Itamar for their annual olive harvest in the settlement. According to the settlers, among the Palestinians who arrived in Itamar were the family members of Amjad and Hakim Awad who brutally stabbed and murdered five members of the Fogel family six months ago.
The settlers claimed that the Palestinians shouted "We'll Fogel you" and drew their fingers across their necks indicating slaughter. Dozens of women and children from Itamar protested against the move, including Tamar Fogel who lost her parents and three siblings in the heinous terror attack.
Israel's 'partners in peace'?
Nothing about this story on the BBC. But then the BBC minimised coverage of the cold-blooded murder of the Fogel family so why would they cover this story? The BBC seem happy to support the Islamist murderers of Jews in Israel, so long as the BBC can call them 'settlers'.
Too many open Firefox tabs and nowhere near enough time to do these pieces justice.
1)
The connection? The man smiling in the top photo brutally killed all of the people in the bottom photo. They are the Fogel family and he is Hakin Awad who smiled throughout much of his murder trial.
2) The BBC report the simply staggering news that:
'There is evidence linking the Haqqani militant network to Pakistan's government, the US ambassador to Pakistan has said in a radio interview.'
Staggering, simply staggering; I am so shocked.
3) Daniek Hannan in The Telegraph has a history and economics lesson for the left. Unfortunately they won't listen. Do read the whole of Daniel Hannan's article, it doesn't really precis well.
4) the BBC report the words of Trade Union leader Len McCluskey:
'The head of Britain's biggest union has urged a campaign of strikes and civil disobedience to fight government cuts.
Speaking on the eve of the TUC congress, Unite leader Len McCluskey said no form of protest should be ruled out including "direct action".
He urged a "campaign of resistance so that the government will take stock and perhaps take a step back" from their "attack" on workers' jobs and pensions.
"I don't think we can rule anything out," he told the Andrew Marr Show.'
Strange how the left think they can ignore the result of elections and just try and get their own way.
5) Error Theory are still worrying whether the 'Crescent of Embrace memorial to Flight 93 really can be seen as a giant mihrab: the Mecca-direction indicator around which every mosque is built.' It's an interesting question and one that I have blogged about before.
Your news piece about the arrest of two Palestinians for the brutal murder of five members of the Fogel family includes this: 'The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them "immoral and inhuman".' OK that's the Palestinian Authority, what about Hamas? Here's what Hamas said to its Arab speaking audience: 'Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus. Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers. Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape.' Doesn't sound like a condemnation to me, how about you? So why are the BBC misleading the British people? Or did you not know what Hamas said about the murder of the Fogel family? If the latter is the case then you do now so please report what Hamas have said.
Receive a reply: Yes
Contacted us before: Yes
Complaint related to previous contact: No
Title: Mr
First name: NotaSheep
Surname: MaybeaGoat
Email address: notasheepmaybeagoat@gmail.com
Under 13:No
Let's see what weasel words the BBC find to reply with.
I note that whilst YNet reports that Daniel Viflic, the teenage boy badly injured when Palestinian terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at a yellow Israeli clearly marked school bus, has lost his fight to stay alive. Another young Israeli dies the victim of a terrorist attack. As yet there is no update on the BBC, presumably they are wondering how to put it into 'context'.
I also note that YNet is reporting that Israeli police have arrested two Palestinians for the brutal murder of the Fogel family. This time the BBC do manage to report the news but of course try to first pretend that the Palestinian authorities were opposed to such attacks:
'The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them "immoral and inhuman".'
and then to put the story into context:
'There are almost 500,000 settlers living on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Settlements are regarded as illegal under international law although Israel disputes this.'
I will address the fiction that Palestinian leaders were condemned by Palestinian leaders later but first of all that last sentence. What the f**k, no seriously, what the f**k; five people were hacked to death and the BBC need to put the story into context with a reminder that they sort of deserved it. F**k you BBC, f**k you and your moral relativism.
Now to the first piece of 'contect'. The BBC tell us that
'The murders were greeted with revulsion in Israel and were condemned by Palestinian leaders as well.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called them "immoral and inhuman".'
'Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus.
Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers.
Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape.
...
Also, the al-Qassam Brigades were able to execute a series of operations in August of last year, which were named “Stream of Fire,” by which the mujahideen of al-Qassam were able to kill four Zionists. Intelligence officials from both the military and Abbas’s militias in the West Bank were confounded by these operations, and worked with all diligence to try to discover the perpetrators.'
Doesn't sound like a condemnation to me, how about you? So why are the BBC misleading the British people?
Is there any length the BBC will not go to protect Palestinian terrorists from being shown for what they are?
Thanks to BigPeace for the statement from al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, spot.
The Palestinian say that all they want is an independent state in Gaza and on the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and they are supported in this by the majority of Muslim states in the Middle East; let's ignore Iran for the moment. If this is all they want and the support is genuine then why did Egypt and Jordan not setup such a state between 1948 and 1967 when the West Bank was under Jordanian control and Gaza under Egyptian? I was very small at the time, but pre-1967 were the 'Palestinians' demanding independence from Egyptian and/or Jordanian rule? Was there a anti-Egypt/Jordan intifada? Did the United Nations support the rights of self-determination for the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank?
The truth of the matter is that Hamas and Fatah want Israel to disappear, they have no intention of living peaceably alongside Israel. On his deathbed, Mohammed proclaimed that, "two religions cannot coexist in the Arabian Peninsula" - the Islamists follow Mohammed's instructions, so how can a Jewish state be tolerated in the Middle East by them?
Recently five members of the Fogel family were brutally murdered in their beds. A survey was conducted by Prof. Yaacov Shamir of the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace and the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University, and Prof. Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) and it found out that one third of Palestinians supported the murder of the Fogel family. One third, not a small minority, but one third. How can Israel ever exist alongside a state where a third of its people support the killing of two parents, murdering an 11 year old boy whilst he was sat up reading in bed, killing a 4 year old boy by stabbing him twice in the chest and slitting the throat of a 3 month old baby girl?
'There seems to be a confluence of events that I fear may not be entirely coincidental. On the one hand we have an increase in attacks on Israel by Palestinian terrorists; there was the horrific murder of the Fogel family last week, as hardly reported by the BBC, then there was the bomb set off in Jerusalem and meanwhile the firing of rockets from Gaza has increased both in quantity and sophistication. On the latter point I note that the BBC have decided not to inform the British public that the rockets being fired at Israel are no longer the 'homemade' Katyusha type but the far more sophisticated Grad type.
On the other hand we have the imposition of the No fly Zone on Libya. How does that affect Israel you may wonder; as a precedent I believe. Imagine this scenario, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and/or Hamas unilaterally declare independence and seek a UN Security Council resolution to recognise this. The resolution is supported by the Obama lead USA as well as China, Russia, France and almost certainly the UK. None of the permanent members use their veto and so the Palestinian declaration is deemed to have the support of the 'international community.' The PA and Hamas declare that Israeli citizens are now on Palestinian territory and in line with prestated sentiments that they must leave. Israel refuses to abandon its 'settlements' and PA/Hamas go to the United Nations, maybe via the Arab League, to ask for protection from Israeli aggression. The United Nations with its built in Muslim bloc votes that Israel either vacates Palestinian land or else..... Then what?
Am I paranoid, or is this all possible?'
It looks as though my paranoia may not be totally unwarranted!
Palestinians in Gaza are braced for worsening violence as cross-border clashes between militants and Israeli troops continue, the BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza City reports.'
Are Israelis not fearful or Palestinian terrorist attacks? Do the BBC regularly interview residents of Sderot about their lives under bombardment by missiles fired from Gaza? Do the BBC report from the schools who have to hold classes in bomb shelters, from the people who have to run for the shelters every time a rocket is fired at their homes? Has the BBC interviewed people who are neighbours of the murdered Fogel family to see how they are coping in the aftermath of the recent murderous bloodbath?
Address of the page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13014046
Complaint category: Bias
Complaint summary: Selective reporting of previous incidents
Full complaint:
Your article about the recent Israeli 'strike' on Gaza includes a reminder of recent incidents. Thus we are told that: 'On Thursday, members of its (Hamas) military wing hit an Israeli school bus with an anti-tank shell, injuring two people. Friday's deaths raise to 10 the number of Palestinians killed since Thursday, amid the worst fighting since 2009. ... Israeli artillery fire and air strikes have been heard across Gaza throughout much of the day, our correspondent says, and at least six rockets were fired into Israel, hitting an area north of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli police. ... Israel says it is responding to the school bus attack on Thursday near the Nahal Oz kibbutz. A 16-year-old boy suffered a serious head wound and was taken to hospital for surgery. Militants from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, hit the bus with an anti-tank shell. They said it was in response to the killing of Hamas leaders last week. ... At least 10 Palestinians have been killed since Thursday and more than 40 have been injured. Several of those killed were civilians, including a mother and her 21-year-old daughter, as well as a 55-year-old man in the southern city of Khan Younis, Palestinian medics say. Another 50-year-old civilian who had been sitting outside his home died when he was hit by tank fire on Thursday, an official in Gaza said. Four others were identified as leaders of the Qassam Brigades and two of Friday's victims had been members of the group, Hamas said. Last month saw some of the worst violence since Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in December 2008. In one week in March, at least 10 Palestinians - including several civilians and children - were killed by Israeli attacks. In the same period, militants in Gaza fired more than 80 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel.' Interesting although you mention the deaths of four Palestinian civilians you do not mention either the cold-blooded murder of the Fogel family or the British citizen killed by a Palestinian terrorist bomb in Jerusalem. What possible reasons do the BBC have for this choice of what deaths are worth mentioning and which are not? Are the deaths of Israelis not as important as those of Palestinians? The BBC minimised the original coverage of the Fogel family's murder, is it your intention to try and ensure that people are not reminded of it?
The BBC report 'Gaza: Israeli strikes 'kill six' despite Hamas truce' and link the story to the main news front page, coverage that the Fogel family murder did not receive.
More interesting is what recent attacks are deemed worthy of reporting:
'On Thursday, members of its (Hamas) military wing hit an Israeli school bus with an anti-tank shell, injuring two people.
Friday's deaths raise to 10 the number of Palestinians killed since Thursday, amid the worst fighting since 2009.
...
Israeli artillery fire and air strikes have been heard across Gaza throughout much of the day, our correspondent says, and at least six rockets were fired into Israel, hitting an area north of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli police.
...
Israel says it is responding to the school bus attack on Thursday near the Nahal Oz kibbutz. A 16-year-old boy suffered a serious head wound and was taken to hospital for surgery.
Militants from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, hit the bus with an anti-tank shell. They said it was in response to the killing of Hamas leaders last week.
...
At least 10 Palestinians have been killed since Thursday and more than 40 have been injured.
Several of those killed were civilians, including a mother and her 21-year-old daughter, as well as a 55-year-old man in the southern city of Khan Younis, Palestinian medics say.
Another 50-year-old civilian who had been sitting outside his home died when he was hit by tank fire on Thursday, an official in Gaza said.
Four others were identified as leaders of the Qassam Brigades and two of Friday's victims had been members of the group, Hamas said.
Last month saw some of the worst violence since Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in December 2008.
In one week in March, at least 10 Palestinians - including several civilians and children - were killed by Israeli attacks.
In the same period, militants in Gaza fired more than 80 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel.'
No mention of the murdered Fogel family or even of the British citizen killed by a Palestinian terrorist bomb in Jerusalem. Why do the BBC consider only the deaths of Palestinian civilians worthy of comment not Israeli ones?
'The BBC has admitted that the horrific murders of the Fogel family last month should have been covered on their 24 hour news channel.
The massacre, in which a three-month-old baby was decapitated and her siblings' throats were slashed, did not appear anywhere across the BBC's television channels, and was mentioned only briefly on the broadcaster's news website.
The BBC gave no mention of Hamas' statement praising the attack, or of celebrations about the killings in the West Bank, yet did cover the Israeli government's announcement about settlement construction the following day.
The broadcaster's poor coverage was highlighted by Louise Bagshawe, Conservative MP for Corby, who registered her disgust at what she called the BBC's "inexcusable" failure, in the JC as well as on Twitter and in a comment piece for the Daily Telegraph.
Ms Bagshawe, a member of the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, called on the BBC to admit their "lack of evenhandedness". She also demanded a list of the other stories which were featured on BBC News 24 on March 11, in preference. Her complaint was passed to the BBC's director of news, Helen Boaden, but it was five days before Ms Boaden replied. During that time Ms Bagshawe received thousands of messages of support.
In her response Ms Boaden said: "I agree with you that the significant nature of this murder of an entire family meant it should have been included on our television news output."
However, she denied that the BBC had ignored the story "either because we did not care or because we pursue an anti-Israel agenda". She instead blamed "a remarkably busy weekend" because of the disaster in Japan, events in Libya and the spring meetings of the Liberal Democrats and the SNP which had to be covered "to ensure due political impartiality".
"[These] left little room in the main television bulletins for a host of competing stories".
Ms Bagshawe said: "I'm not wholly satisfied with the answer which does not reflect the gravity of the lack of coverage. I would consider the matter finished if the BBC gave an expression of regret because of the hurt they have caused the Jewish community."
She added: "I believe that this shows that the BBC will listen and will not merely reflexively defend a clear mistake."'
I disagree with Ms Bagshawe, I think this incident shows that the BBC are determined to vilify Israel as much as possible and protect Palestinians from criticism. The Fogel family were dehumanised by not showing pictures of them before they were callously and deliberately butchered. Nobody could really doubt that if an Israeli had killed five members of a Palestinian family in such a way that the BBC would have found space in their busy news schedule for comprehensive coverage of the incident. The BBC's agenda is clear and dangerous.
