Saturday, April 14, 2007
Harry's Place notes that the British National Union of Journalists has voted to boycott Israeli goods.
Today's vote was carried 66 to 54 - a result that met with gasps and a small amount of applause from the union delegates present.
The vote came during a series of motions on international affairs and reads: "This ADM [annual delegate meeting] calls for a boycott of Israeli goods similar to those boycotts in the struggles against apartheid South Africa led by trade unions and the TUC [Trades Union Congress] to demand sanctions be imposed on Israel by the British government and the United Nations."
The motion was originally brought by the union's South Yorkshire branch and opposed by the Cumberland branch, which said it was too political and was not tied closely enough to journalistic matters.
After a show of hands twice failed to give a clear result, union scrutineers were called in and the doors to the conference room closed.
The vote on the motion was taken after it was split from a larger motion that condemned the "savage, pre-planned attack on Lebanon by Israel" last year.
This motion, known as Composite B in Order Paper 4, was carried by a large majority and also condemned the "slaughter of civilians by Israeli troops in Gaza and the IDF's [Israeli Defense Forces] continued attacks inside Lebanon following the defeat of its army by Hezbollah".
The motion called for the end of Israeli aggression in Gaza and other occupied territories.
The union's national executive committee has been instructed to support organisations including the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Jews for Justice in Palestine and the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding.
I am reminded of the high dudgeon certain "photojournalists" were whipped into once upon a time at the suggestion by bloggers that journalists had any sort of agenda. After all, they screamed, our neutrality is what protects us and these sorts of insinuations put us in danger! You know...from like the Taliban and stuff (I'm serious). Well I guess we can see who they're afraid of, and who they're not.
Palestinian Arabs kidnap a BBC reporter, Muslim religious fanatics behead writers and photographers, major cable networks bowdlerize their coverage so as not to risk offending the sensibilities of dictatorial thugs, and WHO do they choose to condemn?
Is this moral obtuseness? Stockholm syndrome? The ultimate suck-up for access?
Here's a suggestion: Are you member of the NUJ? I have nothing to say to you.
[h/t: Sophia]
Actually Sol, I wish the NUJ would expand their boycott, and boycott Israel completely, rather than just Israeli goods. My rationale is that the fewer NUJ journalists (including or especially the BBC) in Israel, the fewer the number of slanted stories, rumors delivered as fact, and outright fabrications we would see. With any luck, the journalists now in Israel would be confined to Gaza and the West Bank. I am sure that Hamas and Islamic Jihad will do a great job of protecting them. Actually, although bisased against Israel, most of them are not stupid. If they were sequestered in the Palestinian territories, most would elect to choose other assignments. Hence, less false stories filed.
The next time my local NPR station
that broadcasts BBC "news"
and runs a fund raiser,
I'm going to tell them that I won't contribute because the NUJ, which most probably has members at the BBC is supporting a boycott of Israel.
I'd like to see NPR divest from the BBC.
Excellent idea Eddie. KDIN TV here in Des Moines, carries the BBC World News nightly. I guess I may have to put the Red Green Show and Dr. Who at risk, and inform them during their next funding week that I will not be donating so long as they carry the BBC News, whose reporters are boycotting Israel.
Solomon asks:
It's for the same reason "progressive" "artists" have no problem doing unflattering stuff with Jewish or Christian symbols, but shy away from doing the same with Islam: they know who will let their heads stay attached to their bodies. The same reason the nanny-states of Europe make concession to bullies, while the common, law-abiding man can't get the police to do the right thing following a burglary. Rewards for the wicked, punishment for the righteous.
It should be clear to anyone with eyes to see that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Barring a miraculous turn of events (not necessary divine--a human turnaround would be just as miraculous), that is.
Hi guys,
It seems opportune to bring to your attention the comments by someone who claims to be a reporter for NPR
Dear RL:
“your ability to lump together MENA and MEMRI suggests you are an ideologue.â€
No, it means I have “idealsâ€.
“these are very different organizations — one is a news agency, the other a news monitor.â€
Neither are legitimate “news†anything. I’m a reporter for NPR, I know news.
on Augean Stables and then it might be easier to apply the correct adjective
"Is this moral obtuseness? Stockholm syndrome? The ultimate suck-up for access?"
Maybe this will this excerpt will help in broadening the field of possible causes?
Every single source cited is either an extreme rightwing propaganda enterprise such as the Cybercast (formerly conservative) “news†network and/or an Israeli-govt funded and founded pseudo-news org such as Memri which exists only to disseminate wholly fabricated, pro-zionist, perception-management drek.
Just go through the comments of one "calzone" reporter for NPR to see that it is a lot more serious than moral obtuseness etc.
Cynic,
Oh my.
Oh, and Tom, you bring up an interesting point -- no more Ramallah by day and Jerusalem by night. Spend time in the territory, but no back and forth -- say a one week minimum stay in either place. Fun to think about.
If the report on the murder of the BBC journalist by terrorists in Gaza turns out to be true, bet the NUJ and the BBC will find a way to blame Israel for his death. Any takers?
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25133_Palestinians_Murder_BBC_Reporter&only
Tom, sadly, I agree with your prediction.
Here's a link to the Al-Jazz... Al-BBC website regarding the Scot born BBC journalist they refer to as "Gaza man".
"BBC's concern at Gaza man's fate"
"A Palestinian group calling itself the Al Tawhid Al Jihad brigade has issued a claim that it has killed BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6557779.stm
I don't doubt it. I've been holding fire on the entire Johnston thing since he was kidnapped -- including various pointers, speculation and even satirical stuff people have sent me -- until we see the outcome one way or the other. I think everyone can see the major point here -- and the usual suspects will never get it -- without being hit over the head with it.
Ehy they do it?
The Jews are not going to cut off these journo's heads, or blow up their buildings with suicide bombers. The Arabs and their fellow islamists just might.