Different borders; different BBC reporting priorities

Early in the morning of Tuesday, November 6th, a routine IDF patrol along the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip was the target of an explosion. Three IDF soldiers were injured – one moderately. Shortly afterwards, a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at civilian communities in the Eshkol region in southern Israel. 

Israeli news reports of the incident began to appear shortly before 8 a.m. local time. More than nine hours later, any mention of the explosion or the rocket was still absent from the BBC News website. 

In contrast, on Monday November 5th at around 8:30 p.m., a shot was fired from Syria at an Israeli army jeep on patrol in the Golan Heights. It is thought that the gunfire was not aimed intentionally at the IDF, but was part of a battle between Syrian government forces and rebels in a village just over the border. 

That incident was reported on the BBC News website within three hours of its occurrence. 

So, a stray bullet – which fortunately did not cause any injury – on one border is reported with comparative alacrity, whilst the deliberate targeting and wounding of soldiers and rocket fire at civilians on another border is ignored. 

Strange priorities.  

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