Letter of complaint to the Complaints Unit of the BBC, 6th July 2005

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Category: Complaints Regarding BBC Bias
Dear Sir,

John Humphrys said on Today 01-07-05 "Palestinian terrorists .... have kidnapped two Israeli soldiers". I suspected this was a slip of the tongue made by a rational and well informed broadcaster who with forethought would have chosen a better noun. However, when I came to 'listen again' to confirm my quotation is correct, I find it printed:- '06.37 Palestinian terrorists say they have kidnapped two Israeli soldiers - a claim rejected by Israel.' This is indicative of the 'balance' in much of the BBC reporting coming out of Arab countries, and from the remnants of Palestine in particular. The Martyrs of the Al Aqsa Brigade responsible for the alleged kidnapping would not consider themselves to be terrorists* *and if they are not attacking civilians it is appropriate to call them 'resistance fighters' or 'guerillas'. These men have seen plenty of death and injury done to Palestinian civilians by the Israeli Defence/Occupation Force. Some thousands have been killed and many, many thousands maimed by all manner of weapons including flechette shells fired randomly into the jam packed refugee camps of both Gaza and the 'West Bank' in the dead of night. I cannot recall the word 'terrorist' ever being applied to any member of the ID/OF, but terrorism it is. An apt slogan circulated; a terrorist is someone with a bomb but no uniform .

Letter Published in the Morning Star 15th June 2005

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Category: Letters to the Media

Dear Sir,

Jerry Jones conclusion (Morning Star Wednesday June 8) that the National Health Service is well on the way to the market was spot on. As someone who fought tooth and nail against the US inspired 'internal market' of Thatcher, Ridley and Einthoven, my anger still cannot be contained. Few know the conspiracy caused the administrative costs to double at least, from about 5% of the total budget. That induced instability, with loss of professional leadership, set today's scene- from the causes of the MRSA epidemic to an easy ability to pick juicy grapes for corporatists everywhere.

Other correspondents have written of the systematic attack on everything that is of public value, especially to the poor. During the election period, a minority called in this paper for continued support for New Labour and for people to 'reform it from within'. This was symbolised for me by the reported, helpful conversation between Tony Benn and Tony Blair. I could not see that such reform would happen given the level of infiltration, sycophancy and preferment. Instead, I hoped against hope that the party would be incinerated so a true party of the left could be rebuilt. I am glad that I worked for Respect and I will see it grow as all the neo-liberal 'policies' are revealed as dross, driven by dogma or profit.

David Halpin FRCS

Shards of Memory

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Category: Guest Articles

Shards of Memory

By Gideon Levy

This is the most Arab-free area in Israel. It was the scene of total ethnic cleansing, which left not a vestige apart from the heaps of ruins and the sabra bushes. On the coastal plain, between Jaffa and Gaza, not one Palestinian village remains intact. Now the settlers of the Gush Katif bloc from the Gaza Strip are to be brought here. In a bitterly ironic jest of fate, the settlers who sowed ruin and destruction in the Gaza Strip will now live on the ruins of the homes of the residents who were their invisible neighbors in the refugee camps.

The Ball is in Europe's Court

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Category: Palestine/Israel
The Ball is in Europe's Court

By Oren Medicks

Palestinian Land Loss

The death of Yasser Arafat is seen by many people of good will as a chance to revive the peace process. Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is hailed as a moderate leader. A leader who has openly opposed the armed Intifada. The Palestinians are bathing in the exciting energies of a democratic election campaign just like a prisoner bathing in a small pool of sun entering his cell through a tiny skylight. One of the reasons they have elected Abu Mazen was to appease Bush and Sharon, hoping that in return, the strangling Israeli grip on their lives will loosen a little. In Israel, too, many are fed up with fighting, and wish to lead a normal life - only they have their own ideas of what normality means. Optimism is desirable, filling our sails and motivating us for action, but we must remain sober, or else the same wind might drive our fragile boat against the hard rocks of reality...

Why I sympathize with the Palestinians

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Category: Palestine/Israel

Why I sympathize with the Palestinians

By Alick Cameron


Introduction:

These are the observations and analyses of a British doctor who was serving in Palestine as the 'nakba' (catastrophe) emerged. Dr Alick Cameron MB ChB MD DO MRCGP DHMSA qualified from Edinburgh University in 1946 and spent most of his medical life as a general practitioner in Britain. ~ David Halpin.