BBC’s Andrew Marr squeezes Israel into discussion on Syria chemical attack

What was Andrew Marr's contribution to a discussion on international inaction in the light of repeated chemical weapons attacks in Syria?

h/t AS, KS

BBC One describes its Sunday morning programme ‘The Andrew Marr Show’ as follows:

“Andrew Marr, former BBC political editor, interviews key newsmakers and shines a light on what’s happening in the world. Includes a review of the Sunday newspapers, weather forecast and news bulletin”

During the papers review in the April 8th edition of that show (available here or for UK audiences here) guest journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer spoke about a Guardian report on the previous evening’s chemical weapons attack on civilians in Douma in Syria (from 05:06 in the video below), stating:

Hartley-Brewer: “We’ve got to stop the nonsense that they’re not using chemical weapons. They are using them. And of course I would say I do think we need to remember that it was our country that chose not to get involved even after chemical weapons attacks as a result of votes in Parliament led by former Labour leader Ed Miliband.”

The “light” Andrew Marr then chose to shine on the issue of international inaction despite repeated chemical weapons attacks in Syria was as follows:

Marr: “And the Middle East is aflame again. I mean there’s lots of Palestinian kids being killed further south as well by the Israeli forces.” [emphasis added]

Marr’s factually incorrect portrayal of events on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel during the past ten days obviously implies that Israeli soldiers defending their border from infiltration by adult rioters and terrorists are to be viewed in the same light as the perpetrators of chemical attacks on the Syrian children mentioned moments earlier by Hartley-Brewer. 

Not only is that linkage completely redundant but Marr’s ‘whataboutery‘ patently has no relevance whatsoever to the discussion of the Assad regime’s brutal chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians.

So much for the BBC’s obligation to provide its funding public with “accurate and impartial news, current affairs and factual programming of the highest editorial standards so that all audiences can engage fully with issues across the UK and the world”. 

 

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