Gaza aid appeal divides broadcasters

ITV aired the DEC aid appeal on Monday

Two major news organisations have refused to broadcast an appeal intended to raise money for victims of the recent conflict in Gaza. Both the BBC and Sky News have decided not to air the appeal saying that it could compromise impartiality as news broadcasters. Jon Ryley, Sky’s head of news, released a statement in which he said, “"The absolute impartiality of our output is fundamental to Sky News and its journalism. That is why, after very careful consideration, we have concluded that broadcasting an appeal for Gaza at this time is incompatible with our role in providing balanced and objective reporting of this continuing situation to our audiences in the UK and around the world"[Sky News].

The decision has brought widespread criticism, both from members of the public and from British members of parliament. Former parliamentarian Tony Benn has been one of the outspoken critics and insisted that the BBC had a responsibility of informing viewers of the humanitarian appeal. He told CNN’s Jim Clancy that people were suffering in the region and that aid was desperately needed before more people died. “After all we’re all human”, he said, “and this is a humanitarian appeal”. But he evaded the question put to him over reservations that some might have suggesting the money may fall into the hands of Hamas. Jim Clancy said that “Hamas have the guns” and that there was a risk the money could be diverted to rebuild their military infrastructure. Tony Benn refused to be drawn into such a possibility and instead pointed out that Hamas had been elected.

While ITV, Channel Four, Channel 5 and al Jazeera have all said they will air the Gaza appeal, it is not yet clear whether other international broadcasters will air the appeal. The Disasters Emergency Committee [DEC] say they have not approached all broadcasters however. Amongst them was CNN who say they had not been asked to show the 3 minute film [BBC / Sky News / CNN].

Meanwhile, EU Commissioner Louis Michel has described the destruction in Gaza as “abominable” but blamed Hamas for bringing Israel’s onslaught. However there is increased criticism that Israel may have broken rules concerning the use of certain weapons. Sagah abu Halim is one victim highlighted in a CNN report. She received appalling injuries suspected to be the result of being struck by white phosphorus. Ben Wedeman said the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas would “inevitably” result in civilian casualties. But Israeli spokesman Mark Regev is adamant that Israel was careful not to target the innocent. “We do not target civilians” he told CNN, adding that Israel had deployed weapons surgically against enemy target. But says CNN’s Ben Wedeman, “Not surgical enough for victims like Sagah”.

It is these victims that the DEC wants to help and some fear that not airing their appeal will stop the flow of donations. The irony is that more people will now have heard about the call for donations because of the decision made by the BBC and Sky.

Gaza - Media in the firing line

The media have become the latest victim in the continuing conflict

After 20 days of violence more than 1,000 have died and over 5,000 have been injured in what some have called war crimes by Israel. But Tzipi Livni, Israel’s Foreign Minister, has defended the operation and was evasive when questioned if the bombardment would end soon.

Three Israeli civilians have died in the last three weeks and 10 army personnel have been killed. Rockets fired by Hamas continue to be fired into Israeli territory despite the military onslaught aimed at degrading the militant organisation’s weaponry. But the retaliation wrought by Israel has been called “disproportionate”. The damage to Gaza is widespread and not confined to military targets. Whether intentionally or otherwise, dozens of civilian buildings have been destroyed. A television centre has been hit and at least three hospitals have been severely damaged. Several United Nations buildings have been directly and indirectly struck by Israeli bombs and there are accusations of Israel using white phosphorus and depleted uranium [al-Jazeera / CNN / CNN].

There have been predictable condemnations from countries like Iran. However the apparent deliberate targeting of a UN compound, where Israel says three Hamas militants were hiding, has created widespread concern. Although Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologised to UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, the air strike sparked anger from UN officials on the ground. The strike destroyed food, fuel and medical supplies, much needed humanitarian aid as the crisis continues. Judy Clark UNRWA told the few reporters that are on the ground that the damage was severe and called on Israel to stop the bombing. “We have lost all our food and medicine from this fire” she said.

International media have been barred from entering Gaza and those that are on the ground run the risk of being caught up in the violence themselves. New York Times reporter Taghreed El Khodary said at least three journalists were injured when the TV centre was struck including one employed by Sky News. Four journalists have so far died according to al-Jazeera’s Sherine Tadros who broadcast a report from the stricken media centre belonging to Ramattan TV. An Abu Dhabi TV journalist and a Reuters cameraman were injured in the blast that shook the Al-Shurouq Tower shortly after an Israeli army spokesman had contacted the Reuters news agency’s Jerusalem bureau to verify the location of its Gaza bureau. Reporters Sans Frontières have called on the Israeli military to explain how the 16 storey media centre was struck by the IDF.

Despite the risks CNN’s Ben Wedeman has managed to get into the Gaza strip through the Egyptian border. Reporting via telephone from a region shrouded in darkness he said that there was no running water and that electricity had also been cut. But most western reporters remain stuck on the Israeli-Gaza border, though Sky have managed to secure two trips into Gaza with the IDF. Their reports are however censored by the Israeli Defence Force and certain scenes such as the filming of destroyed houses were prevented by their military guides.

Last week the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate end to hostilities. But both sides have ignored the call and there is no end in sight despite calls from the international community. At the UN several nations directly criticised Israel. But Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev described the statements as “deceitful”. She asked why there was no condemnation of the Katusha rockets being fired into Israel and the funding of Hamas by countries like Iran.

The conflict has not only brought criticism from politicians. Around the world there have been growing numbers of protests and calls for a boycott of Israeli products. Even bin Laden returned with a new tape release calling for a jihad [al-Jazeera]. Israel may have a right to defend itself but it will have a new war to fight in the months to come as it attempts to defend its image abroad.

2008 leaves little to rejoice about

Oil prices, China, the US election & a global recession dominated 2008

2008 has been an eventful year but perhaps it is the cataclysmic events that have left the most lasting of memories. January saw the price of oil pass the $100 per barrel mark. The month also saw a stand off between Iranian forces and US warships over territorial water disputes. The year also started with Israeli incursions into Gaza leaving nearly 50 Palestinians dead. Financial markets were also rocked after rogue trader Jerome Kerviel lost more than €4.9 billion for the French bank Societe Generale in what at the time was described as a “large scale internal fraud” by President Sarkozy.

China saw the beginning of what was a turbulent year after thousands became stranded in the worst snow storms the country had seen for years. The clear up continued well into February and left dozens dead. The US also experienced rare February storms which left around 60 dead. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra played a rare concert in North Korea to soften the diplomatic tension between the two countries. But tensions continued in many other countries. Violent clashes occurred in Serbia and Kosovo after the latter declared its independence and bombings continued to wreak havoc in Iraq and Pakistan.

In March Dmitry Medvedev won the Russian election but was widely seen as Putin’s puppet. Attempts at developing a peace process in the Middle East once again fell on stony ground and incursions and terrorist attacks continued. China returned to the headlines after riots in Tibet left up to 100 dead and the fallout became a PR disaster for the country after protests followed the Olympic torch around the globe during April. There were further troubles after a train crash in Shandong province left 70 dead.

May became a cause for celebration for many Londoners after Boris Johnson won the Mayoral election. But it was the natural disaster in Myanmar which dominated headlines after a cyclone left thousands dead and without help as the country’s dictatorship refused foreign aid. China was the next victim after a massive earthquake struck Sichuan province. Around 80,000 died in the earthquake and a quarter of a million were injured, but China was far more accepting of foreign help, though it was less appreciative of the criticism of its building regulations after it emerged many schools appeared to have been badly built. May also saw oil rise beyond $135 per barrel leaving many motorists around the world with increased running costs.

June brought further rises in the price of fuel and tanker strikes in Britain which nearly saw the pumps run dry. Zimbabwe was once again in the news after Robert Mugabe stole another election. But in the US election Hillary Clinton finally conceded defeat in her bid as Democratic candidate and endorsed Barack Obama. China once again suffered the wrath of nature’s power after floods left millions homeless and more than a hundred dead.

July saw violence return to Israel after a man used a tractor to unleash an attack on civilians. Four were killed and nearly 40 were injured before the man was shot dead by police. Bomb attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan left more than 60 dead. July also saw the first signs of the impending recession after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ran into trouble and stock markets around the world began to fluctuate wildly. But it was the Olympics which hit the headlines as August arrived. However, despite the show of the century, the media could not help but criticise the poor air quality, the arrests of foreign journalists and highlight terrorist attacks that struck in parts of the country.

As the US election campaign got into full swing the financial crisis began to bite hard and one institution after another began to fold. China was also suffering from its own crisis after it was revealed that milk had been contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine leaving thousands sick and at least four babies dead. But it was the financial downturn that gripped most people’s attention well into October. Almost everyday there was further bad news as one company after another announced it was running into financial difficulty.

November brought with it a moment of history after Barack Obama became the first black American President. But the celebrations were short lived as the reality of the deepening financial crisis set in. There was further tragedy after Pakistani terrorists killed dozens on the streets of Mumbai in India. A three day siege ensued and around 156 were killed. India was left reeling from the attacks and there were calls from many to retaliate against Pakistan. THere was no retaliation, though tensions remain high between the two nuclear powers.

December saw Greece gripped by riots after police shot a young teenager dead. Zimbabwe, already suffering from financial collapse, was now becoming the victim of a cholera pandemic which Mugabe blamed on the West. But the West was more concerned with its own demise as one company after another shut its doors. For many retailers it was far from a very merry Christmas as many were forced to slash prices in order to drum up trade. And in the Middle East, the birthplace of Christ, it ended much as it had begun with Israeli bombardments on Gaza and with tanks preparing to roll into the Palestinian territory.

Israeli strikes leave 375 dead in Gaza

Protests around the world have turned violent

Three days of violence has left more than 375 dead as Israeli attempts to destroy Hamas’s capability of firing rockets into its territory. But while Israel says it is only trying to defend itself from rocket attacks, its disproportionate response has come in for much criticism and resulted in widespread protests around the world. The United States have defended Israel’s right to protect itself and called on Hamas to stop firing rockets. But even this ally has asked Israel to act with restraint and avoid hitting civilians.

However, in a region as densely populated as Gaza even surgical strikes on military targets cannot avoid civilian casualties. There are no exact numbers, but Palestinian sources say many of the some 375 so far killed are civilians. There are also many injured and only now after three days of violence are some of the hundreds of wounded being transported into Egypt to receive emergency treatment. Meanwhile the Red Crescent has mobilized an operation to ship medical supplies into Gaza. At least 100 aid trucks are preparing to make their way into Gaza from Egypt. But providing aid is difficult and one aid ship has already run into trouble after colliding with an Israeli warship. CNN’s Karl Penhaul said two Israeli boats shadowed the aid boat Dignity before ramming it in international waters. But Yigal Palmor of the Israeli Ministry said the fact that journalists were on board the vessel indicated it was part of a “publicity stunt”. He insisted that the boat was not rammed despite damage that was evident on the boat.

While Israel’s action might be understood on one level, their bombardment may only serve to perpetuate a continuing cycle of hatred that exists across the region. Already there have been demonstrations, not only in Gaza and the West Bank but also across Lebanon, Iran and in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul. There were also violent clashes with police on Sunday outside the Israeli embassy in London. Protests have also been seen in New York. In Greece which has recently seen anti-government protests, demonstrators took to streets to vent their anger towards Israel.

Ron Prosor, Israeli Ambassador to the UK, speaking on CNN said that Hamas was whipping up propaganda against Israel. He said Israel had been restrained for many years allowing Hamas to arm itself with the help of Iran and Hezbollah. He said the military action would allow Israel the ability to “degrade Hamas’s capability” and put the issue of peace back on the negotiating table. As regards the numbers of civilians killed he blamed Hamas for placing military bases, laboratories and other installations close to civilian neighbourhoods. Israel, like the US, sees Hamas as a terrorist organisation despite its having been elected in a democratic election. “Hitler too was democratically elected”, Prosor said, dismissing their legitimacy to hold power.

Israel’s PM has said the bombardment was only the first stage of an ongoing operation. Already tanks have manoeuvred into position at the border between Gaza and Israel prompting speculation that a ground offensive may follow soon.

Hamas meanwhile continues to launch attacks against its neighbour though it is unable to inflict much damage. Since Saturday despite many such rockets being launched few have caused anything more than panic on the streets of Israel. There has been some property damage but so far only four people have died including one soldier according to Israel [BBC / CNN / Sky News].

Israeli airstrikes leave 150 dead in Gaza

Despite calls from religious leaders over Christmas to end the conflict in the Middle East, the region has once again descended into violence. Israel launched a series of air strikes into Gaza on Saturday morning killing at least 145 and leaving 200 injured.

At a press conference Hamas leaders condemned the strikes and said they “held Israel responsible” for the “massacre”. Israel has said the attacks “aimed at Hamas militants” was in response to rocket attacks launched against Israel following the breakdown of a ceasefire earlier this month. The ceasefire breakdown is partly blamed on Israel's failure to open borders and allowing the flow of food, medicine and other supplies.

Major Avital Leibovitch told CNN the aerial bombardment was "in response to continued rocket attacks from Gaza" and that the operation was “just the beginning”. However, Hamas has vowed revenge for the air strikes, saying they were stronger than ever before.

Several countries have criticised the Israeli action saying it would further inflame the region. Egypt’s presidency condemned the air strikes and called for restraint. The country’s borders were also opened up to allow the wounded to be transported to at least two of Egypt’s hospitals. The Arab League called on the UN to take action, while French president Sarkozy's office called on both Hamas & Israel to halt hostilities. But while Hamas had its supporters, others struck out at the group. President Bush said Hamas should stop its terrorist activity. While stopping short of condemning Israel it did call for restraint saying the action did little to help the peace process. Speaking from Gaza, Eyhab el-Ghosain, the Hamas Interior Ministry, told the BBC that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation and was merely defending itself from Israeli aggression. The BBC cut into the Live into the interview to bring viewers a supposed Live address by an Israeli’s Foreign Minister. Tzipi Livni said Israel “had no choice” other than to respond to the continued rocket attacks launched by Hamas militants in recent days. As it turned out the statement was a “recently recorded clip”.

Hamas say that all their police compounds have been destroyed by the attacks and that civilians were amongst the dead. In Israel there is at least one fatality after a Hamas rocket destroyed a house. Two were also injured following the rocket attack on the small town of Askelon. The tit for tat aggression and the pictures that are subsequently broadcast will only perpetuate the violence.

Pictures which were relayed via television news showed scenes of chaos and destruction. Al Jazeera showed graphic scenes of a police compound were dozens of bodies lay dead and injured. CNN, the BBC and other news broadcasters were less graphic in their coverage, but in the Palestinian territories TV news was far less muted. According to BBC News, local broadcaster have showed pictures of bodies laid out in front of hospitals including many children caught up in the explosions. Sky News were broadcasting Live from the area as an explosion hit the centre of Gaza sending up a huge mushroom cloud of smoke. It was not known who or what was at the receiving end of the missile attack which was only one of at least 20 such blasts reported across the Gaza strip. In response Hamas has launched dozens of rockets into the Israeli territory though the damage inflicted is superficial. As the strikes subsided the protests started. Some called for Fatah to join with Hamas in its battle against a common aggressor. There has not been a major shift in support for Hamas, though the scenes of dead bodies and destruction has angered many in the Palestinian territories as well as Gaza. Meanwhile Hamas is continuing to call on its fighters to strike back at Israel. This conflict is unlikely to end anytime soon [CNN / BBC / Sky News / al-Jazeera].