BBC News coverage of terrorism in Israel – April 2016

The Israel Security Agency’s report on terror attacks (Hebrew) during April 2016 shows that throughout the month a total of 115 incidents took place: 75 in Judea & Samaria, 35 in Jerusalem, two inside the ‘green line’ and three incidents originating from the Gaza Strip.

The agency recorded 92 attacks with petrol bombs. One shooting attack, 17 attacks using explosive devices and one stabbing attack took place in Judea & Samaria and Jerusalem. Two attacks – including one stabbing – were recorded inside the ‘green line’. Along the border with the Gaza Strip two shooting attacks and one attack using an IED took place.

April marked the first month since September 2015 in which no deaths occurred as a result of Palestinian terror attacks. Eighteen people were injured: sixteen in the April 18th bus bombing in Jerusalem, one in a stabbing attack in Rosh HaAiyn on April 3rd and on the same day a policeman was injured by a firebomb in Issawiya.

The BBC News website covered the bus bombing on April 18th in Jerusalem – albeit with a notable absence of use of the word ‘terror’ – and also produced a follow-up article three days later.

Among the attacks which did not receive any coverage by BBC News at the time were a stabbing in Rosh HaAiyn on April 3rd, a stone-throwing attack on a vehicle travelling near Huwara on April 5th, an IED attack on the Gaza Strip border on April 8th, an attempted stabbing at Qalandiya checkpoint on April 27th and an attempted stabbing near Beit Horon on April 28th.

In conclusion, the BBC covered one terror attack against Israelis in April 2016: 0.86% of the total. Since the beginning of the year the BBC News website has reported 4.8% of the terror attacks which have actually taken place. None of the missile fire from the Gaza Strip has been reported in the English language.

table April 16

Related Articles:

Reviewing the BBC News website’s coverage of terror in Israel: October 2015 to March 2016

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