Inaccuracy in BBC’s Fatah profile exposed

A political party which solicited votes in an upcoming election anywhere in the world by boasting that it had murdered thousands of people would no doubt make BBC headlines. Anywhere in the world, that is, except for Ramallah.

Ahead of the municipal elections in PA controlled areas and the Gaza Strip scheduled for October (which the BBC still has not reported), Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party put out a Facebook post on its official account – described as follows by PMW which translated the post:

“Fatah yesterday posted a list of Fatah’s achievements on behalf of Palestinians. Significantly, Fatah did not cite even one peace-seeking or peace-promoting achievement, but only listed Fatah acts of violence and terror. Fatah even boasted that its attacks have killed 11,000 Israelis. While Fatah and the PLO have been killing Israelis since 1965, this number is a gross exaggeration.  

One of the acts it bragged about was being the “first Palestinian faction to reach the [Israeli] nuclear reactor.” This is a reference to Fatah’s bus hijacking and murder of three Israeli civilians on their way to work at the Dimona nuclear plant in 1988.” 

The Times of Israel adds:

“The current Fatah post is likely linked to the upcoming Palestinian municipal elections, set for October 8, in which Fatah and Hamas are expected to contest seats in most Palestinian municipalities. In many places in the West Bank, Hamas members will be running without openly identifying with the movement, which has been suppressed by PA forces in areas under its control.”

The BBC’s profile of Fatah tells audiences that:Fatah profile

“Under Arafat’s leadership, the group originally promoted an armed struggle against Israel to create a Palestinian state. But it later recognised Israel’s right to exist, and its leaders have led Palestinian peace talks aimed at reaching a two-state solution.”

And:

“With international pressure mounting, Fatah – though notably not the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades – signed a declaration rejecting attacks on civilians in Israel and committing themselves to peace and co-existence.”

A political party which tries to boost its credentials among the electorate by boasting about murdering civilians has obviously not ‘rejected’ attacks on Israeli civilians or ‘committed’ itself to “peace and co-existence”. However, just as the BBC is unlikely to amend those clearly unrealistic statements in its Fatah profile, it is also unlikely to report a story which contradicts its adopted narrative.

Related Articles:

BBC News misleads audiences on Fatah incitement map

BBC continues to ignore PA’s glorification of terrorism

BBC News belatedly reports fatal terror attack, ignores praise from Abbas’ Fatah

BBC News avoids reporting Fatah Day rallies for third year running

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