When it comes to Israel, the BBC seems prepared to ignore (and at times rewrite) history to suit its own analysis. Its choice of terms when referring to pro-Palestinian groups is equally questionable.
A prime example is the BBC's use of the phrase “peace activists” when referring to members of the International Solidarity Movement. Those quote marks are mine by the way, the BBC uses the words without sneer quotes.
On Saturday night, dozens of Israeli and foreign peace activists made a beeline for Ramallah after the Haifa attack, suspecting it could be the trigger for Israeli retaliation against the Palestinian leader.The human shields the BBC calls “peace activists” have been recruited by the International Solidarity Movement to offer protection to Yasser Arafat. ISM recruits are not peace activists, they are part of the Palestinian struggle. The ISM is a partisan organization working not for peace but for a Palestinian victory.
Many stayed the night on mattresses and blankets in a meeting hall in the compound, with some, including Mr Avnery, saying they would use their bodies to physically thwart an operation against Mr Arafat.
Am I being biased? You decide; here (at www.palsolidarity.org) is what the ISM is about.
The International Solidarity Movement is a Palestinian-led movement of Palestinian and International activists working to raise awareness of the struggle for Palestinian freedom and an end to Israeli occupation. We utilize nonviolent, direct-action methods of resistance to confront and challenge illegal Israeli occupation forces and policies.Still want to call them "peace activists"? They are members of an anti-Israeli resistance group. I wonder why the BBC doesn’t describe them that way?
Perhaps it’s another example of the BBC’s inability to properly categorize things. It’s been having difficulties with the word “terrorist” for a couple of years now.
