31Jan2025
I have raised 2 formal complaints against BBC news coverage which repeatedly reports that the war in Palestine started on 07Oct23. I assert that, by failing to mention 17years of siege and many years of ongoing war, this reporting could Mislead a reader into thinking that Israel is blameless.
In response to both complaints, BBC has provided links to published BBC articles. In both cases the content of the article has substantiated my complaint by including words which unambiguously state that the war started on 07Oct23.
I can suggest 3 possible explanations:
BBC is deliberately fomenting bias against Palestine and, while brazenly denying it, is unashamedly simply repeating its misleading wording.
The person responding to the complaint is not reading either the complaint of their response, so is unaware that the response substantiates the complaint.
As if in some novel depicting subterfuge, the person responding to the complaint is deliberately sending more examples to substantiate the complaint.
here is the response to complaint 2 and my response to it.
Reference CAS-8001965-Z2V9X1
Dear Mr Cattaway,
Thank you for contacting us about the BBC News website (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjvl4klzweo).
We note your concerns regarding the accuracy of information when referring to 7 October as the start of the current conflict in Gaza.
When referring to this particular date, this is simply to denote the attack which led to Israel’s current military response and does not reflect the full history and complexities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, something which the BBC does cover and has done for many years. Please see the following link which illustrates this:
We assure you that careful consideration has been given to all aspects of our coverage to ensure that we report on developments accurately and with due impartiality in line with the BBC Editorial Guidelines, which are publicly available.
We very much value your feedback. Complaints are sent to senior management and we’ve included your points in our overnight reports. These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC. This ensures that your concerns have been seen by the right people quickly, and helps to inform decisions about current and future content.
As before, your reply substantiates my 2nd complaint too. BBC coverage, by omitting crucial information, is misleading with the potential to create bias against Palestine. Articles rarely distinguish between Palestinians and Hamas (<1.2% of the Gazan population and very unpopular). The referenced article states ‘Even before this war …. …highest unemployment levels in the world ‘. You omit to mention critical information here. For 17years before 07Oct23, Israel illegally besieged Gaza. This is primarily why the unemployment levels were so high. The war did not start on 07Oct23, Hamas’ barbaric attacks provoked an escalation of an ongoing war.
Similarly, today’s piece BBC News – British-Israeli hostage says Hamas held her at UN facilities
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj91ygv803xo states ‘The attack triggered a war’. This is misleading. The attack took place because of the existing war, particularly Israel’s illegal seige. I could cite several other recent BBC pieces which state that the war started on 07Oct23.
This is not pedantic. It is fundamental to conveying that there was already an existing state of war. Israel had illegally besieged Gaza for 17 years which increased tensions. Hamas’ attack was provoked because of the existing situation. That is very different to ‘Hamas provoked the war’.
I find it incredulous that BBC has so frequently and consistently portrayed the current offensive as a war initiated by Hamas’ attacks on 07Oct23. BBC is renowned for accuracy, and now, having had the misleading reporting challenged on so many occasions, this repeated inaccuracy can now only be considered deliberate. The paradigm that Hamas initiated the war is highly likely to create a bias against Palestine, compounded by copious headline celebrations of releases of Israeli hostages, while releases (and delayed releases) of significantly many more illegally detained Palestinians receive considerably less (and much lower key) coverage.