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.

    • qevlarrEnglish
      5•6 months ago

      Because of what they’re saying. Actions aimed at innocent civilians for a political goal, that’s terrorism. If you’d apply that definition to one, then also apply it to the other

        • @ShepherdPie@midwest.socialEnglish
          6•6 months ago

          So what? What makes them any different? Does going through some bureaucratic process first legitimize the murder of civilians for political reasons?

          • @fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
            -1•6 months ago

            It makes the use of the term terrorism an “appeal to emotion”.

            This type of logical fallacy is how people prop up weak arguments.

            There’s plenty of more appropriate words to describe Israel’s behaviour, but the comment I replied to is using “terrorism” given the emotional significance.

            Ironically, his comment cites the BBC editorial guidelines explaining my point. Terrorism is an emotionally charged term.

            • @ShepherdPie@midwest.socialEnglish
              3•6 months ago

              Nobody stated that “terrorism” isn’t an emotionally charged term.

              It’s kinda funny you’re talking about weak arguments when you completely avoided the question in my comment. It seems your only justification for why Israel’s (or many other government’s) actions can’t be labeled terrorism is “everyone else is doing it too” but that doesn’t really make a difference nor does it make the label incorrect.

                  • @fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
                    0•6 months ago

                    No a bureaucratic process does not legitimise murder it just means that “terrorism” is not the best term for this form of murder.

                    Why does the BBC not use this term?

                    Why is Cameron so keen to label Hamas as a terrorist organisation?

                    It’s because there are emotional connotations.

                    If the best argument you can make requires words like “terrorist” then you don’t have much of an argument.