Foreign secretary’s call comes after group releases video of British-Israeli hostage it says died after being wounded in Israeli airstrike

David Cameron has urged the BBC to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, reviving an accusation that the corporation shies away from a valid description of the Islamist group that is holding Israeli hostages.

The UK foreign secretary told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that the organisation should reconsider its guidelines in light of a video released by Hamas showing the British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell, who the group said had died in Gaza.

Hamas released a statement on Saturday saying the 51-year-old had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month ago. The video showed him with a black eye.

  • Murvel@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    13
    ·
    6 months ago

    It’s the official stance of the country from their own government, by extension the british people. Are you saying that’s not what the BBC represents?

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      6 months ago

      No. The BBC does not represent the official stance of the country and never has. It is an independent journalistic body.

      • Murvel@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        12
        ·
        6 months ago

        Of course they do. The aren’t allowed to print anything they want. Public service is governed by state. Well at least in Sweden but the principle is the same.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          They are, in fact, allowed to print anything they want. They are not beholden to the government. That’s a simple fact.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              5
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              6 months ago

              I’m not sure how you think that changes anything that I said and makes them beholden to the government, but okay.

              I’d think the fact that they aren’t doing what David Cameron wants them to do proves you wrong, but you seem to think your “research” trumps reality, so…

              • Murvel@lemm.ee
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                4
                ·
                6 months ago

                Well, the BBC is clearly regulated by the government, while you claim that is not the case due to ‘simple facts’…

                • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  7
                  ·
                  6 months ago

                  The simple fact being that David Cameron told them to call Hamas terrorists and they said no. Read the article. If they are beholden to the government, how is that possible?

                  • Murvel@lemm.ee
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    4
                    ·
                    6 months ago

                    They are not beholden to the government. That’s a simple fact.

                    Hm, well see, that’s not what you referred the ‘simple fact’ to be is it?

    • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      6 months ago

      No. They’re saying the BBC is not the government’s mouthpiece. It is an impartial public broadcaster. The same BBC that has reported on both IRA bombings and Sinn Féin elections. If you understand that last sentence you may realise why the BBC speaks as it does.

        • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          6 months ago

          Ofcom is a “government approved regulator” as opposed to the “government regulating approval.“ There is a difference. It’s a .org not .gov domain.

          • Murvel@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            They regulate the BBC that’s all you need to focus on.

            • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              ·
              6 months ago

              Ofcom regulates EVERY television broadcaster, every radio broadcaster, all the phone providers, all the broadband providers, the postal providers and the wireless providers in the UK. That’s a lot more companies than just the BBC. That is what I’ll be focusing on; rather than your suggestion. Thanks all the same.

                • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  3
                  ·
                  6 months ago

                  Wow. Believe whatever you want - don’t let facts get in the way of your opinions. You are so colossally misunderstanding what the phrase “government approved regulator” means. Thanks for the laugh.

                  • Murvel@lemm.ee
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    1
                    ·
                    6 months ago

                    They’re regulated, you for some reason don’t belevie they are, that’s it, not sure what else to add.