Discretion or Cowardice?

January 16, 2009

BBC Silent about being Terrorized in Gaza: Discretion or Cowardice?

Israeli media reports that Hamas took over the first floor of the building that the BBC offices in Gaza last night and fired rockets from there, trapping the journalists above. Despite the fact that their reporters have now escaped the building, the BBC has so far not said anything about this.

When I was interviewed on the BBC last week, I commented on the pervasive intimidation of the MSM in Gaza, which is one of the reasons that there were none there when the hostilities broke out. I pointed out that the last journalist resident in Gaza, Alan Johnston, now the editor in chief, only survived because he was so openly pro-Palestinian, and even he got kidnapped and brutalized.

“I’ll cut that out to spare you a law suit, my interviewer said. You’re impugning the integrity of a journalist, and without his credibility he can’t practice his profession.” I was at once struck by the combination of concern for reputation and shamelessness involved in such a “favor” to me.

But here’s the BBC, used as human shields by Hamas, and they won’t let the public know.

Hat tip Winds Of Jihad

Nows Here something the BBC did not want the public to know

BBC,s best kept secrect

A few months ago I was surfing for info about famous british muslims and I stumbled across this

MP, boxing champion, BBC correspondent among Muslim award winners

British ministers and political leaders extolled Muslim achievements in the UK at the annual ceremony for the latest The Muslim News Awards for Excellence in London on Tuesday.

Among the winners were Sadiq Khan MP, Minister in the Government Whip's Office, Amir Khan, the IBF inter-continental and Commonwealth Lightweight Boxing Champion and BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who was detained in Gaza for nearly four months last year.

“These awards celebrate the achievements of British Muslims in all walks of life. They identify Muslim achievers and highlight the wonderful contribution that British Muslims make,” Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

“Equally importantly, they challenge the stereotypes and negative
portrayal of Muslims in many parts of the media. They provide us with role models we can all be proud of,” the Prime Minister said in a video message to the annual ceremony in London on Tuesday night.

http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/index/press.php?pr=255

Johnston is regarded by the BBC as a respected, experienced journalist, and due to his local knowledge, he was someone other journalists would turn to for information when in Gaza. Prior to being kidnapped however, Johnston was not well known to the general public.

What was not known to the general public was that he just happened to be a muslim.