BBC Faces Backlash Over Terminology in Hamas Coverage

[Social Media]

 

The BBC has come under intense scrutiny following its description of Hamas suicide bomb attacks, which claimed the lives of dozens of civilians in Israel, as "military operations." This characterization, particularly by the BBC’s Arabic channel, has led to accusations of whitewashing the actions of Hamas and lacking impartiality in its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

 

The controversy erupted after the BBC Arabic channel reported that Mohammed Deif, a senior military leader of Hamas, had orchestrated a series of "military operations" against Israel, culminating in an attack on October 7th. Critics, including Camera (the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis), argue that the BBC's reporting implied that these attacks were directed primarily at Israeli soldiers rather than civilians, thereby diminishing the severity of the actions and their impact on non-combatants.

 

Camera pointed out that the death toll from the attacks planned by Deif was 93, with a staggering 80 of those victims being civilians, ranging in age from 13 to 83. Only 13 of the deceased were soldiers or other security personnel. This stark contrast between civilian and military casualties has fueled accusations that the BBC Arabic’s terminology effectively whitewashes the true nature of Hamas's actions.

 

In its reporting on Deif's assassination by Israeli forces, BBC Arabic noted that he had been wanted for years by the Israeli government for his involvement in terrorist activities. However, the channel repeatedly referred to these actions as "military operations" rather than labeling them as terror attacks. This language, critics argue, obscures the reality of the violence and its impact on civilians.

 

In a background story about Deif’s death, BBC Arabic’s website stated, "For approximately 30 years, [Deif] took part in several military operations against Israel, starting from kidnapping soldiers and rocket attacks, passing through military operations and culminating in the October 7th, 2023 attack." This description, which fails to explicitly condemn the targeting of civilians, has been a focal point for those accusing the BBC of bias.

 

Camera, which advocates for balanced media coverage of Israel, has been particularly vocal in its criticism. The organization stated, "Downplaying Palestinian groups’ responsibility for targeting innocent civilians as mere ‘accusations’, which only Israel and the US supposedly aim at them, has been a BBC Arabic habit for years. Even when the Palestinian groups themselves boast about similar murders, BBC Arabic reporters would often use their own voice to falsely describe them as ‘military operations’ carried out against ‘soldiers’ or ‘gunmen’." 

 

Mohammed Deif’s legacy as a Hamas military leader is marked by a history of violence, including the killing of at least 70 civilians in suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv during the 1990s. Additional fatalities occurred in Israeli settlements within the Gaza Strip throughout the 2000s. Despite this, when BBC Arabic reported on Deif’s death in an Israeli strike on a refugee camp in southern Gaza on July 14, the coverage included images of the bus bomb attacks and other violent acts organized by Deif, yet still referred to his actions as "military operations."

 

The BBC has defended its coverage amid the backlash. A spokesperson for the corporation told The Telegraph, "BBC News Arabic has made clear throughout our coverage that Muhammad Deif was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US and the EU. We quoted the Israeli military describing Deif as a terrorist and that they hold him responsible for the murder of Israelis, and we referenced the serious accusations he faced around the 1996 attacks. Our audiences were in no doubt about Deif’s actions and the fact that he had been called a terrorist, including by Israel."

 

The BBC’s defense highlights its effort to maintain what it views as a balanced approach in its reporting. However, the choice of language in such sensitive contexts continues to spark debate about the role of media in shaping public perception of global conflicts. The accusations against the BBC underscore the broader challenges that media organizations face in covering contentious issues, where word choice can carry significant weight in influencing public understanding and sentiment. 

 

As the situation evolves, the BBC may continue to face scrutiny over its coverage, particularly as the Israel-Hamas conflict remains a highly charged and polarizing issue. The debate over how media outlets describe and contextualize acts of violence by groups like Hamas is likely to persist, with significant implications for both journalistic integrity and public perception.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-27

 

 

 

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[Chomper Higgot]

The Telegraph doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

 

 

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Telegraph doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

 

 

   This is about honest reporting , reporting facts rather than reporting  than fake news .

   Attacked civilians being reported as them being "military targets" is incorrect and fake news .

   Next need to concentrate on other fake news such as genocide , colonialism, starvation , war crimes  and all the other nonsense that Pro Palestinian press have been reporting  

[300sd]

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Telegraph doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

 

 

 

 

BBC News Arabic may have an opening for you!

[JonnyF]

Typical of the BBC.

 

They often try to legitimize Hamas, calling them freedom fighters, military operations etc. when they are nothing more than murdering Islamic terrorists. 

[Chomper Higgot]

11 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   This is about honest reporting , reporting facts rather than reporting  than fake news .

   Attacked civilians being reported as them being "military targets" is incorrect and fake news .

   Next need to concentrate on other fake news such as genocide , colonialism, starvation , war crimes  and all the other nonsense that Pro Palestinian press have been reporting  

CAMERA’s sole purpose is to pressure news agencies to project a view of Israel related news that CANERA agrees with.

 

It’s not about ‘honest reporting’.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

13 minutes ago, 300sd said:

BBC News Arabic may have an opening for you!

You’ve not heard my attempts to speak Arabic.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

CAMERA’s sole purpose is to pressure news agencies to project a view of Israel related news that CANERA agrees with.

 

It’s not about ‘honest reporting’.

 

 

 

   This story is about using the correct terminology in news reports .

  The people attacked and killed on Kibbutz's on Oct 7 th were NOT military targets .

    Its wrong to call members of the public "military targets" , its an attempt to rewrite history and give a false account of what happened .

   "The freedom fighters attacked military targets " , NO, the terrorists  attacked ordinary people .

    

[Nick Carter icp]

5 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   This story is about using the correct terminology in news reports .

  The people attacked and killed on Kibbutz's on Oct 7 th were NOT military targets .

    Its wrong to call members of the public "military targets" , its an attempt to rewrite history and give a false account of what happened .

   "The freedom fighters attacked military targets " , NO, the terrorists  attacked ordinary people .

    

 

  And when Israel attacks Hamas in retaliation , the story would be "War criminals attack a School and hospital, 2000 innocent  children killed"

[Chomper Higgot]

10 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   This story is about using the correct terminology in news reports .

  The people attacked and killed on Kibbutz's on Oct 7 th were NOT military targets .

    Its wrong to call members of the public "military targets" , its an attempt to rewrite history and give a false account of what happened .

   "The freedom fighters attacked military targets " , NO, the terrorists  attacked ordinary people .

    

The BBC did not say they were.

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

Another example of  media corrections after Camera notified them:

 

In response to communication from CAMERA, Times of Israel and BBC Arabic last week improved their respective articles about a Palestinian teen killed by Israeli military fire, adding that he was a Hamas militant after initially neglecting to include that highly relevant information. On its own website, Hamas claimed Jibril Muhammad Kamal al-Ladaa as the organization’s “martyred Jihad warrior.”

https://www.camera.org/article/times-of-israel-bbc-update-slain-palestinian-teen-jibril-ladaa-was-a-hamas-fighter/

 

Camera operates an excellent service and because of their efforts, mistakes or lies can be rectified.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Another example of  media corrections after Camera notified them:

 

In response to communication from CAMERA, Times of Israel and BBC Arabic last week improved their respective articles about a Palestinian teen killed by Israeli military fire, adding that he was a Hamas militant after initially neglecting to include that highly relevant information. On its own website, Hamas claimed Jibril Muhammad Kamal al-Ladaa as the organization’s “martyred Jihad warrior.”

https://www.camera.org/article/times-of-israel-bbc-update-slain-palestinian-teen-jibril-ladaa-was-a-hamas-fighter/

 

Camera operates an excellent service and because of their efforts, mistakes or lies can be rectified.

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting certainly makes strenuous efforts, but hardly live up to their name on the matter of ‘Middle East Reporting’ 

 

 

Being a bit myopic in their search for accurate reporting.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting certainly makes strenuous efforts, but hardly live up to their name on the matter of ‘Middle East Reporting’ 

 

 

Being a bit myopic in their search for accurate reporting.

Deflection on the excellent example of I posted on the good work they do for the truth.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Deflection on the excellent example of I posted on the good work they do for the truth.

It’s not a deflection, it is entirely consistent with my first post.

 

This is the Telegraph  doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not a deflection, it is entirely consistent with my first post.

 

This is the Telegraph  doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

Other call it accurate reporting.

 

Reuters Amends Bogus Quote Which Echoed Hamas Lie That Ben-Gvir Released Plans for Temple Mount Synagogue

https://www.camera.org/article/reuters-amends-bogus-quote-which-echoed-hamas-lie-that-bengvir-released-plans-for-temple-mount-synagogue/

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not a deflection, it is entirely consistent with my first post.

 

This is the Telegraph  doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

 

   No it isn't , the BBC are facing scrutiny for calling a terror attack a "Military operation" .

   The BBC are being called out for their false reporting .

 The issue is with the BBC calling  terror attack a military operation, this isn't about CAMERA or the Daily telegraph .

   Don't shoot the messenger

[Donga]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Telegraph doing their bit to boost CAMERA’s efforts to control the news.

 

 

 

 

Is that your takeaway, the value of your insight? "Control the news" in this case or simply report honestly?

Incredible, but not surprising as the Left media distorts news continually to suit their ideology.

And their readers can't or won't recognise the deception, cos they have the same ideological fantasies.

[Homburg]

The BBC tell lies. This is news?

[Smokey and the Bandit]

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Typical of the BBC.

 

They often try to legitimize Hamas, calling them freedom fighters, military operations etc. when they are nothing more than murdering Islamic terrorists. 

Absolutely, I thought CNN was bad but the BBC has overtaken them!

[mokwit]

3 hours ago, Homburg said:

The BBC tell lies. This is news?

They don't tell you - just another example of them lying by omission.

[Tropicalevo]

I apologise to folk following this thread but I have a smidgen of sympathy for the BBC here.

(Only the most minute smidgen though.)

The BBC are just confused.

Hamas do not target innocent civilians.

They tell the world that ALL Israelis are guilty and must be annihilated.

Hamas do not differentiate between Israeli civilians and military.

Even babies are to be annihilated as they will be guilty when they grow up.

[Kinok Farang]

22 hours ago, Homburg said:

The BBC tell lies. This is news?

And for a change,factually correct.

[Kinok Farang]

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I apologise to folk following this thread but I have a smidgen of sympathy for the BBC here.

(Only the most minute smidgen though.)

The BBC are just confused.

Hamas do not target innocent civilians.

They tell the world that ALL Israelis are guilty and must be annihilated.

Hamas do not differentiate between Israeli civilians and military.

Even babies are to be annihilated as they will be guilty when they grow up.

The BBC have had their day.Even years ago when it was a haven for peedos it still read factual news.

Now it twists the truth so much that even an imbecile can see through their lies.Anyone who still buys a licence wants their head examined.RIP,BBC.

[Kinok Farang]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:25 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

You’ve not heard my attempts to speak Arabic.

No,but i've heard your attempts to talk shiit.

[billd766]

On 8/27/2024 at 3:10 PM, Homburg said:

The BBC tell lies. This is news?

And nobody else does?

 

I wonder just how many CAMERA teams are on the ground in Gaza actually reporting the news?

 

I am sure that Israel would give them a visa and as much help as they need to give the true picture from the Israeli point of view.

 

https://cpj.org/2024/08/journalist-casualties-in-the-israel-gaza-conflict/#:~:text=As of August 23%2C 2024,began gathering data in 1992.

 

As of August 27, 2024, CPJ’s preliminary investigations showed at least 116 journalists and media workers were among the more than 41,000 killed since the war began, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.

Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict during the Israeli ground assault, including devastating Israeli airstrikes, disrupted communications, supply shortages, and extensive power outages. This has meant that it is becoming increasingly hard to document the situation, and CPJ is investigating almost 350 additional cases of potential killings, arrests and injuries.

 

bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67350709

 

Last month Israel told international news organisations Reuters and AFP that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was targeting Hamas throughout Gaza and accused the group of placing military operations "in the vicinity of journalists and civilians".

[billd766]

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I apologise to folk following this thread but I have a smidgen of sympathy for the BBC here.

(Only the most minute smidgen though.)

The BBC are just confused.

Hamas do not target innocent civilians.

They tell the world that ALL Israelis are guilty and must be annihilated.

Hamas do not differentiate between Israeli civilians and military.

Even babies are to be annihilated as they will be guilty when they grow up.

Change the words for Israeli and Hamas around and you have what is happening in Gaza now.

[Jeff the Chef]

Anybody spot any bias here?

 

CAMERA UK is co-edited by Adam Levick and Hadar Sela.

 

Adam Levick previously worked as a researcher at NGO Monitor and, prior to that, at the Civil Rights Division of the Anti-Defamation League. Adam has published reports on progressive antisemitism for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.  His op-eds have appeared in The Guardian, The Independent, Irish Examiner, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Quarterly, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, JNS, The Algemeiner, The Forward, The Jewish Telegraph, Campus Watch, South African Jewish Affairs and Perspectives (the print magazine of Aish HaTorah UK).

 

Hadar Sela was born in the north of England and has lived in Israel for over three decades.  She has a special interest in the influence of the media on the British public’s perceptions of the Middle East and the Islamist networks operating in the UK and has written pre-emptive reports on several anti-Israel campaigns, including the flotillas and the Global March to Jerusalem in March 2012. Hadar’s work has been published in the Jerusalem Post, The Algemeiner, The Commentator, MERIA Journal and at Harry’s Place, among others.