DEC Gaza Appeal

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 25 Jan 2009, 11:45am

Anyone else **** off by the BBC refusing to broadcast the appeal for disaster relief for Gaza? Itv, channel 4, Channel 5 are showing it but not the BBC. Mark Thompson, the director general, says it would show bias and a taking of sides but their actions shows a remarkable degree of bias towards the other side in this conflict. Only Israelis and their supporters can take any joy from the situation in Gaza or wish it to continue.

I wonder if there are any members of the Jewish faith in senior positions at the BBC able to influence this decision. They may have shot themsleves in the foot though - don't records they ban always get to number 1. Their ban might have thye same effect on this appeal.

diapason · Post by **diapason** » 25 Jan 2009, 11:47am

I'm broadcasting details of the DEC appeal on our community radio station. The BBC's atttude is, again, quite appalling, and I hope that the Trustees take some action.

N

Post by **Mick F** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:18pm

I'm with the BBC on this one.

It's still a war zone, and the Israelis are retaliating against the continual rocket attacks from Gaza. Who's fault with all this, I don't know, but the wars out there have been going on there since WW2.

The BBC can't or don't want to take sides.

Had it been a natural disaster, the BBC would be straight in there with an appeal.

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:28pm

Interesting view Mick. What you imply is that people suffering in a war zone shouldn't receive any aid until the war's over...

The BBC is taking sides. They're taking the side of the Israelis as they are the only people who will gain from the suffering and death in Gaza.

diapason · Post by **diapason** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:30pm

I see your point, Mick, but the aid is targetted at innocent civilians - including many children. Yes, some may fall into the wrong hands, bu , hopefully aid will get to where it's needed.

There is fault on both sides of this conflct. We (including the BBC) can remain neutral whist still helping the victims to rebuild their lives.

N

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:30pm

i see your point mick, but the DEC are fiercely apolitical. and there's people without basic healthcare/homes etc. the israelites on the other hand are a wealthy nation and have suffered very few casualties, and can easily treat and house their injured.

Post by **Mick F** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:37pm

pete75 wrote:What you imply is that people suffering in a war zone shouldn't receive any aid until the war's over...

No. I don't imply that.

I'm saying that the BBC shouldn't put out an appeal. The BBC is state-run, paid for by taxation, it isn't an institution for raising funds for the suffering in a war zone.

It's not just any war zone, it's a war against ideology, a war pitting Muslim against Christian, it's a war of international status. It isn't something that the BBC should be involved in - charities yes - aid workers yes, but not the BBC.

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:41pm

Mick F wrote:It's not just any war zone, it's a war against ideology, a war pitting Muslim against Christian, it's a war of international status..

If you think Israel is a Christian nation then you really don't know anything at all about the middle eastern conflict.

diapason · Post by **diapason** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:44pm

By failing to broadcast a humanitarian appeal, the BBC have already taken sides. The DEC rely on broadcasters to publicise their appeals. The BBC are acting in a cowardly and partisan manner.

N

byegad · Post by **byegad** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:51pm

I was dead against the BBC refusal until I saw the demonstration! They seemed more interested in the politics of the situation than the human suffering. Sadly a sign of the intractability of the whole thing.

Post by **Mick F** » 25 Jan 2009, 12:54pm

Pete 75,
My apologies, but I thought Jews were Christian. I was using the description as a distinction.

Israel is a Jewish nation. Gaza is Palestinian and Arab and predominately Muslim.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 25 Jan 2009, 1:02pm

Mick F wrote:Pete 75,
My apologies, but I thought Jews were Christian. I was using the description as a distinction.

Israel is a Jewish nation. Gaza is Palestinian and Arab and predominately Muslim.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

No Jews are not Christians they are Jews.
There are actually more similarities between the teachings of Christianity and Islam than there are between either of those and Judaism though all three religions have fundamental similarities.

garybaldy · Post by **garybaldy** » 25 Jan 2009, 1:10pm

Only the children are innocent. Hamas were elected by the Gaza population knowing what it stood for.

I'm with the BBC on this and hope they don't cave in to the PC brigade.

Post by Si » 25 Jan 2009, 3:33pm

I've not seen the appeal footage that has been declined by the BBC. If it does not include any coverage of the people fighting there, and doesn't mention the causes of the conflict, but merely points out that there are innocents suffering then I see no reason why it shouldn't be shown.

After All they money from Comic relief goes to war zones...should that be stopped too?

I'm with the BBC on this and hope they don't cave in to the PC brigade.

An extremely weak and unconnected argument. What has the "PC brigade" got to do with it? Mention of the so-called "PC brigade" often being used as the nebulous reason why middle England and the Daily Wail thinks that something should be banned or allowed when they can think of no logical reason.

but I thought Jews were Christian.

Nope. Both Islam and Judaism regard Jesus as a profit IIRC, it is the Christians that regard him as the son of God.

-

Funny how no one complained about appeals for aid in the Sudn and other African countries.

Post by **Mick F** » 25 Jan 2009, 5:23pm

Si wrote:Funny how no one complained about appeals for aid in the Sudn and other African countries.

Either way, the problems out in Israel are completely different. After WWI, the League of Nations approved the British Mandate of "Palestine" with the intent of creating a national home for the Jewish people. Then after WW2, it was split into Arab/Jew, and they have been a war ever since. The West is locked in a problem it cannot solve.

The BBC is a state-run institution, and shouldn't be seen to be involved. That is their argument, and I see it too.