The British news organization Sky News has joined its senior sister BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in refusing to air a pro-Palestinian video that calls for donations for Hamas-run Gaza. BBC has been widely criticized for the decision.
Both the BBC and Sky News announced that airing the video would harm the reputation for objectivity they seek to retain. The BBC has long been criticized for a perceived pro-Arab slant in its reportage of the Israeli-Arab conflict.
John Ryley, head of Sky News, said, “The conflict in Gaza is one of the most challenging and sensitive stories for news coverage, and our obligation as reporters is to cover all sides with uncompromising objectivity. The absolute impartiality of our output is fundamental to Sky News and its journalism. That is why, after very careful consideration, we have concluded that broadcasting an appeal for Gaza at this time is incompatible with our role in providing balanced and objective reporting of this continuing situation to our audiences in the UK and around the world."
BBC Under Fire
The BBC has come under strong attack for its decision of this past Thursday. Pro-Palestinian groups, some British government ministers, and the Archbishop of York have all condemned the Corporation for what some called “caving in” to Israel.
Fifty Members of Parliament have signed a petition demanding that the BBC air the clip, and 10,000 protest emails have been sent to the BBC.
On the other hand, British Culture Secretary Andy Burnham defended the BBC. "As the man who does uphold the independence of broadcasters in this country,” he said, “I think it's right that broadcasters come to their own judgement.”
"The fact that Sky [News is] still considering those issues in the balance,” Burnham said before Sky made its decision, “does demonstrate that broadcasters that have an international presence; it's a difficult judgement call for them."
Warning to BBC
The Israel Law Center wrote to BBC in support of its decision, stating that because “Gaza is a territory dominated by an outlawed terrorist organization, it is impossible to know where the money transferred to Gaza would end up.” The organization wrote that given the inability to monitor the money, “it is highly probable that some of it would certainly fall into the hands of Hamas activists or other terrorist groups, as has happened in the past. In this state of affairs, the BBC could be found responsible [if it airs the clip] for aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.”
Other stations, such as Channels 4 and 5, are planning to air the video, as will ITV, which had previously sided with the BBC.
The video clip in question was produced by the Disaster Emergency Committee, a group of charities that includes the Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children.
250 of Gaza Dead Were Confirmed to be Civilians
Contrary to Palestinian reports that nearly 1,300 Gazans were killed – more than half of them civilians - in the recent war, the IDF reported on Monday that between 1,100 and 1,200 people were killed, and that at least 700 were terrorists. The army has concluded that 250 of the dead were civilians, and the status of the remainder of the victims has not yet been determined.