FOOLS RUSH IN

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Given the flak that poor Sue over on the Biased BBC website gets from all-sorted loons over her posts on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, I tread a little gingerly here in pursuing this point. (I always have, oh cowardly me!) Oh well, what the heck!!

Today's The World This Weekend featured a glowing report from Brian Hanrahan on Marwan Barghouti.

"One of the sticking points appears to be the release of Marwan Barghouti, seen as a leader with the potential to unify the feuding Palestinian factions. He's an important figure in Palestinian politics, but he's serving a life sentence for murdering five Israelis. His trial made him a contentious figure in Israel but a hero to the Palestinians".

I had to use the Internet to find out what those murders involved. You might wish to do the same.
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Those who know him, said Hanrahan, describe him as "a man of great political skill and considerable charm" but "shy away" from the "frequently-made" comparisons to Nelson Mandela. *
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The 'talking heads' in Hanrahan's report seem to me to show bias. What do you think?

They were:

Ghada Karmi, University of Exeter (who knows Barghouti's wife apparently). She spoke warmly about him.

Devorah Chen, chief prosecutor in Barghouti's trial. She was the 'sop to impartiality', though not quite the sop she seemed, as Hanrahan used her words to end his report. The words were "I will accept it" if Barghouti is released.

Alistair Crooke, head of the European Secuity Team, who has kept in touch with Barghouti in prison & speaks of his potential as a leader.

Richard Burden, Labour MP, head of the Britain Palestinian All-Party Group, who also spoke well of Barghouti.

So that's 3 against 1.

Counting up the times each spoke for in the report seems to confirm the bias:

Ghada Karmi (pro-Barghouti): 2 minutes 9 seconds
Devorah Chan (anti-Barghouti): 42 seconds
Alistair Crooke (pro-Barghouti): 17 seconds
Richard Burden (pro-Barghouti): 1 minutes 3 seconds

Or to put it another way:

Pro-Barghouti: 3 minutes 29 seconds
Anti-Barghouti: 42 seconds

Methinks the BBC is taking sides. How unusual!!
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