Bowen's at it again

Austin Barry

Jeremy's Wikipedia entry seems to have been hacked by Mossad or at least a thoughtful and perceptive critic. It begins, "A biased and useless hack who supports the "anybody but Isreal (sic)" school of journolism (sic). A disgrace to himself and his profession."

Jonathan

I don't get it - isn't he just explaining the choice of target, rather than excusing the attack?

Danny

Its an improvement on their original reporting: http://i26.tinypic.com/2n08qav.jpg

Mark2

Jonathan - as I say on the Harry's Place blog, given more context perhaps, the remark might be seen merely as background info, scene setting. The problem with Bowen is that he dosesn't give the full context. Nothing about Hammas's antisemitism nr its long term aims to destroy Israel. As Austin says he is indeed a disgrace to journalism.

Sean Healy

It's not context, it's pretext. The choice of target has less to do with directly targetting settlers or their ideology than with pre-packaging a rationalisation for murder on behalf of a gullible western media desperate to blame even Jewish deaths on Israel.

Adam B.

The notorious Mr Bowen went further on tonight's 6 o'clock news, saying that the killer's house was in sight of the security barrier, thus providing yet another justification for the murders. We even see the murderer's lovely family, and are told that they think he killed because of the situation he grew up in (well there was no barrier when he was growing up, was there Mr Bowen?)We don't see the victims' families, nor hear what they have to say. He rounds it off by pretending that the killer targeted the yeshiva because of links to the settler movement, as if no Palestinian would ever commit acts of terror otherwise. Do the restaurants and cafes that have been blown up have links to the settler movement, Mr Bowen? He really is a sick, twisted individual, who uses his privileged position to spread animosity towards the Jewish State. Even when Jews die, they are the ones to blame. And we are forced to pay for this intellectually impoverished and morally inverted tripe.

J. Isaacs

Surprisingly, everything there is to say about Jeremy Bowen has not quite been covered on this thread. His unseen malign influence on the BBC Middle East news agenda comes from the power he wields as a boss. Some of the more junior BBC reporters have simply repeated his "settler movement seminary" line, which must have been decided at an editorial phone conference beforehand. I must be quicker on the remote control channel switch.

Tariq

Until there is actual evidence, why automatically assume the motive here was political or religious? Might this not have been a US-style random school shooting?

michael morris in Canada

I truly believe that Great Britain is lost to the Muslims and their apologists and Jew haters, which is unfortunate. I used to be proud that my father's father can from Bridlington - not any more; I don not understand people like Bowen - is he such a pathetic, little man, that the murder of anyone is justifiable.

sebastian

When I look and listen to BBC journalism from the Middle East and contemplate the vigilant overview that host Governments take of all broadcasting from those regions, I'm not surprised that it's often biased. Those reporting in Israel's favour might be denied permission to do their job next time if it isn't; those reporting, as Bowen does, in accordance with Arab and muslim one-sided perspectives are often "rewarded"; perhaps quite well. Though no excuse at all, the journalist's own vested interests may play as much as a role as his or her natural lack of balance. Bowen's bias may be correctible with stricter BBC controls and time spent writing 300 lines from the Balen Report; but should that happen, what prospects then for a well-paid job with, say, Al Jazeera? If Bowen is one-sided, it's probably to the side his bread may best be buttered on.

Bronwen

Well, i think bowen is quoted out of context. What he says is completly true but should not be the first thing he says.

PHIL

this really is on the net in wikipedia -just type his name in-lovely man !! [edit] Criticism Bowen has been accused of biased Anti-Israel reporting on a number of occasions. [1], [2] For example, CAMERA claims that on Bowen's articles on the Six-Day War he "unquestioningly accepts the assertions of Arab officials that their leaders really didn't mean it when they threatened to eliminate the Jewish state." He has been criticised for inappropriate representation of facts on occasion. [3] isnt it a surprise that the BBC doesnt take him to task /

Jennifer

Talking of AlJazeera, I am one of those people unfortunate enough to be a member of Britain's National Union of Journalists and I nearly laughed myself hoarse this month when its inhouse rag The Journalist came through my letter box. All these soft-headed British journalists went out there thinking they'd be in some progressive Islamic country and boy did they get their fingers burned. Apropos AlJazeera - on the Engliah language channel they were told they could not report the story about the teddy bear being named Mohammed! What did they expect. Most had their passports confiscated as soon as they entered Duabi and many coming home totally disillusioned. It really was nice to see Guardianistas having a few home truths rammed up them.

J. Isaacs

Jennifer - Hilarious. One wonders what has happened to Rageh Omaar, a BBC turncoat to Al Jazeera. BTW - try joining the non-political British Association of Journalists.