Now why would the BBC report it that way?

The BBC Radio 4 news summary at 2:00pm is astounding.

Reporting today's suicide terrorist attack in Tel-Aviv, the newsreader reports the death and injury toll, then switches immediately to a lengthy statement about how the attack has been condemned by Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority. There's then a sound bite from Saab Erekat, described now as an "aide" to Abbas, reiterating the condemnation, and stating it's totally contrary to Palestinian interests.

In passing, the reporter mentions that the attack is the first "successful" suicide murder attack since the election of the Hamas PA government.

So why did this BBC report totally neglect to mention the real news about Hamas, which is that they are no longer following the line of the previous Fatah PA government, but wholeheartedly endorsing the murders? Not just content with one statement, either. Hamas is issuing enthusiastic endorsements in all directions:

Hamas official spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called the attack "a natural result of the continued Israeli crimes against our people."

"The Israeli occupation bears responsibility for the continuation of its aggression. Our people are in a state of self-defence and they have every right to use all means to defend themselves," he added.

"We think that this operation... is a direct result of the policy of the occupation and the brutal agression and siege committed against our people," said Khaled Abu Helal, spokesman for the Hamas-led Interior Ministry.

Earlier, Moussa abu Marzouk, a Hamas leader abraod, told Al-Jazeera television that "the Israeli side must feel what the Palestinian feels, and the Palestinian defends himself as much as he can."

Now let's be fair and balanced here. The extended Radio 4 World at One programme did report the Hamas apologists, and commented that this was a new departure from how the previous Fatah government handled their responses to suicide terrorist attacks. And the "self-defence" quote from Sami Abu Zuhri is given on the report of the attack on the BBC News online web site.

But then you'd have got the impression of Fatah-- partners for peace; Hamas--rejectionists from that report.

What it didn't mention was some much more ominous news from the Fatah front today.

Their affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is calling for Israeli soldiers and civilians to be kidnapped so they can be held as bargaining counters for the release of all the Palestinian prisoners.

And if that doesn't succeed, they call for "zionists" outside Israel to be attacked instead. As they so helpfully comment:

And if the enemy does not release our prisoners, then Zionists outside Palestine will be an easy target for our fighters," the group said in a statement.

Oddly enough, although there's supposed to be a struggle going on between these "hardliners" and "moderate" Fatah people like Abbas and Erekat, the usually locquacious Erekat has nothing to say about it:

The call could also sow discord between al-Aqsa militants and more moderate Fatah politicians including Abbas, who has been struggling to control gunmen from his own party.

Senior Fatah official and lawmaker Saeb Erekat declined to comment directly on the threat, but said securing freedom for prisoners was at the top of Abbas's agenda.

Comments

[davidka]

from the BBC
The bombing, which came during the festival of Passover, was the first suicide attack in Israel since January.....

• March 30, 2006: A bomber disguised as a Jewish hitchhiker blows himself up in a car outside a West Bank settlement, killing four Israelis who stopped to pick him up. The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a violent offshoot of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party, claims responsibility.

• Jan. 19, 2006: A bomber disguised as a peddler blows himself up at a Tel Aviv felafel restaurant, wounding 20 people

[Elena]

Sill listening and watching the BBC?
I've long given it up; same as I did years ago when I stoped watching Romanian television programes during
Ceusescu's reign.

[Kevin -Canuck-]

i prefer foxnews...it doesn't pull as many punches.