Big PMW win over BBC
Last week, PMW together with Arnold Roth, demanded that BBC remove its broadcast promoting terrorist Ahlam Tamimi who murdered 15, including Roth's daughter Malki, and to apologize for the broadcast
Yesterday, BBC removed the broadcast and apologized
Itamar Marcus in Jerusalem Post: “BBC’s ‘reaching out’ knowingly to a child murderer… not only supports this past terrorist, it serves as a catalyst for those considering terror in the future. The knowledge that BBC and other media will be there to honor, promote and support them is the fuel that the terror infrastructures need to thrive.”
Arnold Roth: "The BBC's apology ... does not even pretend to deal with the deeply troubling issues that make BBC Arabic's program... in effect a tribute to the world's most wanted female fugitive."
Last week, PMW exposed that BBC’s Arabic show “Trending,” broadcast an item whose sole purpose was to give a voice and sympathetic exposure to terrorist Ahlam Tamimi. Tamimi planned and coordinated the suicide bombing at Sbarro Pizza in Jerusalem in 2001, in which 15 people were murdered, including eight children, among them Malki Roth, the daughter of Frimet and Arnold Roth.
PMW and Arnold Roth called on BBC to remove the item promoting his daughter’s murderer:
“Together with PMW, and in the name of our murdered child, my wife and I call on BBC management… BBC must immediately remove the videos from YouTube, and issue a sincere public apology to the families of Tamimi’s victims whose memories BBC has desecrated by promoting their murderer.”
The Jerusalem Post reported PMW’s assertion that BBC had not only glorified a terrorist murderer, but also sent a message of support to all potential terrorists:
“ITAMAR MARCUS, Director of PMW, said that in airing Tamimi's appeal in this way, the BBC has sent a signal to other would-be terrorists that their actions are justifiable.
‘Terror is successful only when the terrorists receive media attention,’ Marcus said. ‘Without media, terror would have no purpose. BBC’s “reaching out” knowingly to a child murderer of Israelis in order to be the platform for this terrorist, not only supports this past terrorist, it serves as a catalyst for those considering terror in the future. The knowledge that BBC and other media will be there to honor, promote and support them is the fuel that the terror infrastructures need to thrive.”[The Jerusalem Post, Oct. 14, 2020]
After exposing the BBC item, PMW turned to NGOs around the world, such as ACT.IL, who joined in galvanizing additional pressure on BBC.
In response, BBC removed the interview with the terrorist murderer from its YouTube channel as demanded and apologized:
A BBC spokesperson told Jewish News: “Following an editorial review we found that this segment was in breach of our editorial guidelines and we removed the clip from our digital platforms last week. We accept that the segment should not have been shown and apologise for the offence caused.”
[Jewish News, Oct. 21, 2020]
PMW has verified that BBC has removed the interview from its channel and that the link no longer works which is in itself big success. However, aside from the apology published on the London based Jewish News site, PMW has not found a public apology on BBC’s website nor a public statement of apology to the general media.
Arnold Roth rejects the BBC's response to the "disgraceful BBC report.":
"The BBC's apology does the world's most influential broadcaster no honor at all. It does not even pretend to deal with the deeply troubling issues that make BBC Arabic's October 8, 2020 "Trending" program - in effect a tribute to the world's most wanted female fugitive - so disturbing.
After a wave of outraged responses, I expect we will be part of an exchange of views with senior BBC officials. The hope my wife and I have at this point is that BBC management will acknowledge how far they have strayed from their own mission. And how much harm was done by the damaging advocacy journalism which that disgraceful BBC report exemplifies.
Ahlam Tamimi is a confessed bomber, the killer of our child. Tamimi wants Jordan to keep shielding her from the US government which is determined to take her into custody so that she can stand trial in Washington. She faces terrorism charges and has a $5 million State Department reward on her head. Jordan's government has co-operated with her in keeping her out of US clutches until now. But there are small signs this may be changing.
Unfortunately, what's certainly not changing yet is the incredible consensus among Jordanians that Tamimi is a hero, an inspiration, a role model. That the BBC has encouraged and played into this is unforgivable. It cannot be resolved with a fatuous apology. The "Trending" fiasco shows that serious soul searching is called for at Broadcasting House."