BBC slammed by MPs for failing to call Hamas gunmen invading Israel ‘terrorists’
THE BBC was slammed by MPs last night for failing to call Hamas gunmen invading Israel “terrorists”.
Appalled politicians accused the publicly funded broadcaster of a gross distortion of the facts with its coverage.
Palestinian forces rained down rockets on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Sderot.
While hit squads of killers swarmed over the Gaza border into Israel killing civilians as they slept in their beds.
But the BBC referred to the killers as “militants” not “terrorists”.
And its website homepage led on Israel launching attacks in Gaza.
Lord Eric Pickles, former Tory chairman, said: “Hamas is a terrorist organisation.
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“They are breaking into civilian homes and murdering children.
“It is beyond belief that the one place you look for balance, the BBC, is not delivering coverage that is fair, balanced or reasonable.
“This is not an isolated incident. They need to get their act together.”
Tory MP Damien Moore said: “It is not appropriate for the BBC to be very clearly taking one side in this conflict.
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“The Israelis only retaliated after a major atack on them. As you would expect from any country that wants to protect its citizens.
“Such action is terrorism and they should be called terrorists.”
Tory MP Andrew Percy was so appalled at the BBC homepage he sent it round Tory MP whatsapp groups.
He said: “The BBC has excelled itself on this occasion with its coverage so far.
“It is again seeking to create a moral equivalence between Hamas and the democratic state of Israel by refusing to call these people what they are - terrorists.
“These terrorists mounted an attempted invasion of Israel this morning.
“It is innocent Israelis sleeping in their beds and you have had terrorists smashing down their doors shooting them and dragging them into Gaza as hostages.
“But you would not know that from some of the BBC coverage.”
Lord Eric Pickles added: "BBC coverage has been universally biased and dreadful. It has learned nothing from past mistakes.
"At a time when we needed the truth about a terror attack in Israel it has utterly failed."
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A BBC spokesperson said: “We reported today’s Hamas attacks and the response by Israel in line with the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.
"We have included contributors who have condemned the attackers as terrorists.”