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

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.

  • Flying SquidMEnglish
    14•8 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.eeEnglish
      -11•8 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 SquidMEnglish
        7•8 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 SquidMEnglish
            4•8 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.eeEnglish
              -3•8 months ago

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

              • Flying SquidMEnglish
                7•8 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.eeEnglish
                  -3•8 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?

                  • Flying SquidMEnglish
                    4•8 months ago

                    Again- if that is not a fact, why are they allowed to go against what David Cameron is telling them to do?