Post by Teddy Bear on Nov 18, 2009 19:20:13 GMT
In perusing the BBC offering of the day for Mid-East events, I was drawn to this article Israel razes Palestinian building, and was struck immediately by the absence of any attempt at balance. Where was the Israeli side of the story? All that appears are claims made by Palestinians as to what is the Israeli side. So I did a little research, as any journalist could do, even assuming that the BBC have none in the area to interview an Israeli source, and I got to this Wikipedia page - House demolition in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which shows that the percentage of building permits granted in Jewish and Palestinian areas are about the same. Yet in the BBC article it only states
Assuming one didn't really believe that the BBC had an Anti-Israel bias,
doesn't it have a responsibility to make sure its news reports are not so shoddy? Especially considering how volatile is the Mid-East conflict.
To the not so naive, just another day for the BBC to pursue its agenda.
Israel says demolition orders are issued for buildings that do not have a valid construction permit. Palestinians say these are impossible to obtain.Leaving the reader with this impression.
Assuming one didn't really believe that the BBC had an Anti-Israel bias,
doesn't it have a responsibility to make sure its news reports are not so shoddy? Especially considering how volatile is the Mid-East conflict.To the not so naive, just another day for the BBC to pursue its agenda.
Israeli authorities have bulldozed a Palestinian-owned building in occupied East Jerusalem reported to have been home to two Palestinian families.
The demolition came a day after the US said it objected to Palestinian homes being destroyed in the area.
Israel says demolition orders are issued for buildings that do not have a valid construction permit. Palestinians say these are impossible to obtain.
UN officials have warned that such demolitions violate international law.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 war and annexed it soon afterwards in a move that has not been recognised internationally. The government disputes that East Jerusalem is occupied territory.
Palestinian reports said there were also two commercial premises in the building that was bulldozed.
The Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem, says the Israeli authorities have demolished more than 400 Palestinian-owned homes in East Jerusalem since 2004, citing a lack of building permits.
"Israel says that it is uniting Jerusalem. In reality, it is dividing Jerusalem through a series of discriminatory policies and laws," said chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat.