Samples of letters, sent to radio and television,
 by friends of Take a Pen

Letter to the editor of Sky News on "peace activists", sent 19.4.2003
Just a few minutes ago, I watched a slanted article about a Israeli army operation in Raffah. From the way it was presented through Sky news by a self proclaimed "peace activist", one does not realize the truth.
 
Israel is currently fighting the axis of terror, perpetrated by Palestinians that operate out of the Gaza strip and other regions of the Palestinian authority. Just a few weeks ago I, personally, as well as my grandson, happened to miss a suicide bomber that blew up a bus full of school children, elderly and Israeli Arab students, killing 20 people, in the middle of my hometown.
 
Because of the Israeli military pre-emptive operations hundred of other suicide bombers have been stopped. This war, of which the incursion into Rafah is a part of is, unfortunately not a Sunday stroll in Hide Park. It is war - like any other war against the international terror.
 
"Peace activists" like Rafael Cohen who got a stage on Sky news tonight, are hindering the carriage of justice. I want to give Mr. Cohen the benefit of doubt, and attribute his actions to stupidity. Does he promote peace by staying in a house doomed to be demolished? If our army wants to demolish the house for operational reasons, will Mr. Cohen stop them?
 
Mr. Cohen  does not worry me. It is the lighted stage during prime time that Sky news gave to him, with the anchor-woman asking him biased questions, and without giving the Israeli army the opportunity to give their view of the situation in real time.
 
I do hope that Sky news will be more careful and balanced in its coverage of news by adhering to telling  the whole truth.

Z.M.
 

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Letter to the BBC news online, on reporting a terror attack on Israel, sent 5.1.2003
 
To the BBC newsonline copy writers
I simply cannot believe that you chose to attach this totally irrelevant paragraph at the end of your story about the devastating carnage caused by two homicide bombers in Tel Aviv:
 "Earlier on Sunday, Israel carried out a test launch of its Arrow missile interceptors as part of its preparations for a potential US-led war in Iraq".

Just what has this got to do with such a sad and mindless terrorist attack which has murdered at least 19 innocent civilian passers by and injured probably in excess of 100.
Any claim the BBC makes to be unbiased is totally lacking in credibility when you do something like this.  what was the point you were trying to make. and if you had to make such a fatuous link would it not have been more appropriate to recognise that the purpose of interceptors is not war, but defence against attack that is highly likely to be aimed at Israel when Iraq will use this as an excuse to target her.
I am simply appalled by your insensitivity and clear agenda at a time such as this. 
What a change it would be if just for once the BBC could report a terrorist attack on Israel straight instead of tagging on irrelevant red herrings.  I can't imagine the same kind of irrelevance being used had the attacks happened in London or Manchester. 

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Letter to the Head of Program complaints at the BBC, on calling Islamic Jihad a “militant organization. Sent 10.11.2002
 
Dear Mr Steel
 
BBC Radio 4’s 1pm News on 9th November 2002 had a report concerning the shooting of a leading member of Islamic Jihad.  The report described Islamic Jihad as a “militant organization”.
 
Islamic Jihad is a TERRORIST organisation as defined in UK legislation (see The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2001.
 The report, therefore, was factually incorrect and I would like your assurance, in writing, that this will be corrected on future broadcasts.  At the time of writing, it is still incorrect on your on-line service.
 
Yours sincerely

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Letter to the BBC, sent 14.7.2003

Sir,

As a Brit who has just had the pleasure of spending nine days in your great country as part of the Lawyers Mission to Israel - including the opportunity to personally congratulate the government official who had the guts to stand up to the BBC - may I add my small voice to those of your correspondents who have hammered the corporation?

This is the same BBC that in the 1930s kept Winston Churchill off the airwaves for fear of upsetting the Nazis.

 In truth, the BBC's reputation for impartiality was always overblown, and it has now gone forever. Well done, Israeli government.

It will come as small comfort, but the BBC hates Britain almost as much as it hates Israel. For over 30 years it has rammed the European Union down our throats - the same blood-stained EU that sponsors Palestinian terror and deserves to be treated as a fully paid-up member of the Axis of Evil.

May I take this opportunity to thank every intelligence officer, military commander, soldier, border guard, policeman, government official, terror victim, rabbinical scholar and judge we met during our mission, not leaving out those "ordinary" Israelis gracious enough to receive us in their homes.

I came away from Israel with an abiding sense of the decency and courage of is people in the face of terror and a renewed determination to see the UK ally itself with Israel in its hour of need.

Michael Shrimpton
Watermead, Bucks, UK

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Letter to Larry King, sent 15.4.2003
 
Dear Mr. Larry King:
 
I am so frequently insulted by your anti-Jewish, anti-Israel programming.  Tonight,  April 15, 2003,  you hosted Queen Noor once again, and once again allowed her to slander Israel with her half-truths and important omissions.  The former Lisa Halaby is in trouble with her step-son and his wife, the current rulers of Jordan.  In order to ingratiate herself with the Arab population, and retain her position,  she seeks to be a spokesperson for the only cause that they all agree upon - their hatred of Israel.  She so charmingly presents "facts" which are not factual. and they hang out there unchallenged.  They stand as "truth" to your viewers, when in fact they just repeat the same Arab propaganda that constantly fills the airwaves.
 
You need a knowledgeable person to set the record straight for you and your viewers.  For instance, the queen said that the Jordanians were not surprised at the tortures of the Iraqi regime.  You could have asked her why they didn't denounce this behavior, act against it, join the coalition to fight it, stand with the coalition forces to oppose it, instead you let her off the hook.
 
She claimed the same old saw:  the Palestinian people are "suffering."  You could have asked her if she felt so badly for them why doesn't Jordan let them in and let them become citizens?  Instead, you let it stand as if this "suffering" could not be alleviated by other Arab nations helping them, resettling them, instead of 54 years of keeping them out.   Why didn't you ask her what she thought about Forbes Magazine identifying Arafat as one of the richest men in the world?  Where did he get almost one billion dollars?  What did she think of this money being in his bank accounts while she says the people are suffering so?   So much for Jordanian crocodile tears , but if not exposed, not known by your audience.
 
There are 22 Arab countries  (all dictatorships) and whenever any representative from any of them get into the public eye they have one complaint ---"Israel is the problem" :  if not for Israel , all problems would be solved.  As the queen so simplistically put it "It is so simple."  Once the Palestinian people are satisfied peace will prevail.  What she didn't say, what she can't say, is that the Arab war against Israel, and now overtly the Jews , is now so thoroughly a part of Arab culture that it is only the peace of the grave for the Israelis that will satisfy much of the Arab world.
 
In the interests of fairness I feel that you should have AT LEAST ONE PROGRAM out of your many that will present the Israeli/Jewish point of view. 
 
I hope you will help to undo some of the constant negative messages about Israel (and the Jewish People) by presenting a side of the coin not seen by American audiences.  There is so much of interest to report.  And so many lies to refute.  I urge you to set the record straight.
 
Yours truly,

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To the editor of BBC- Newsnight
 
Wow! Your story “Pro-Israel lobby on Capitol Hill” (Newsnight, May 8)  does not half exaggerate.  Do you  really expect intelligent readers to believe that  the Washington administration is unable to think for itself and requires the permission of a Jewish lobby before it makes a move?  Or that Malcolm Honlein is, in your words, the most influential private citizen in American foreign policy”, more influential even than Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condolezza Rice, Dick Cheney, James Baker or George Bush snr.  You must be kidding.

The only credible part of Tom Carver’s story is his statement that that “it is “received wisdom” (is that the same as conventional wisdom?) in much of the Arab world, that a so-called Zionist lobby has a stranglehold on American foreign policy.  This is the same Arab World wisdom, which persistently spreads blatant lies,  claiming, for example, that the Jews committed the 9/11 tragedy, that the Israelis distribute aphrodisiac chewing gum to the Egyptians, that they deliberately spread AIDS, that the holocaust did not happen and that the “Protocols of Zion” is factual? 

Does the BBC’s evident esteem for Arab World wisdom, perhaps explain the obvious anti-Israel bias which has crept into so many BBC programmes?

I would appreciate your response.

Yair Malachi

On this letter we received the following answer:

Dear Y Malachi

Thank you for your e-mail regarding 'Newsnight'.

I understand you were concerned that the BBC has exhibited an anti-Israeli bias in the aforementioned programme.  You should know that the BBC is committed to due impartiality and across our programming we have tried to explain how the current situation in the Middle East started and has since developed. We have also given air-time to representatives from across the political spectrum and our correspondents are equally vigorous in their questioning of interviewees regardless of whether they are Israeli or Palestinian.

Nevertheless, I recognise you may continue to hold a different opinion about the BBC's impartiality.  Please be assured that I have registered your comments and added them to the daily Duty Log.  This in turn will be made available to senior management within the BBC and the production team involved.  Feedback of this nature helps us when making decisions about future BBC programmes and services and your comment will play a part in this process.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your views.

Regards

Nathan Johnston
BBC Information

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