It's simply not the BBC's job to tell people who to support and who to condemn, writes the BBC's World Affairs editor.

Terrorism is a loaded word, which people use about an outfit they disapprove of morally. It’s simply not the BBC’s job to tell people who to support and who to condemn - who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.

We regularly point out that the British and other governments have condemned Hamas as a terrorist organisation, but that’s their business. We also run interviews with guests and quote contributors who describe Hamas as terrorists.

The key point is that we don’t say it in our voice. Our business is to present our audiences with the facts, and let them make up their own minds.

As it happens, of course, many of the people who’ve attacked us for not using the word terrorist have seen our pictures, heard our audio or read our stories, and made up their minds on the basis of our reporting, so it’s not as though we’re hiding the truth in any way - far from it.

Any reasonable person would be appalled by the kind of thing we’ve seen. It’s perfectly reasonable to call the incidents that have occurred “atrocities”, because that’s exactly what they are.

No-one can possibly defend the murder of civilians, especially children and even babies - nor attacks on innocent, peace-loving people who are attending a music festival.

  • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
    73·
    1 year ago

    What does compromise have to do with truth? If someone is committing an act of terrorism they are a terrorist, regardless of how righteous or awful their cause. Regardless if it is government backed or rebel backed. It is the action and the intent that matters.

    If a settler commits an act of terrorism they are a terrorist. If a Hamas person commits an act of terrorism they are a terrorist. If little old lady with a old tabby cat, 9 grandchildren, and spends her weekends helping at food bank commits an act of terrorism she is a terrorist.