PALESTINIAN TERRITORY MARKED AS ‘ISRAEL’ By Radio Times

[modern]

From PSC:

Once again, Gaza and the West Bank have been incorporated into Israel – on this occasion by the Radio Times.

The latest issue of the magazine (22-28 August) features an article on a new series called The Frankincense Trail, in which presenter Kate Humble visits Bethlehem and gives her reasons as to why she was unable to film in Gaza. In the magazine, her comments on Bethlehem and Gaza are printed under the heading of ‘Israel’, implying they are part of that country. No Israeli locations are mentioned in the article.

WRITE TO THE RADIO TIMES DEMANDING A CORRECTION IN THE NEXT ISSUE.

You may want to use the sample letter (below)

Email to: radio.times@bbc.co.uk
Write to: Radio Times, MC1D2, 201 Wood Lane, London, W12 7TQ

PSC has also written a letter of complaint to the Radio Times – see below

Sample Letter for members to send:

Dear Editor

I am writing to complain about an inexcusable inaccuracy in the most recent edition of the Radio Times (22-28 August).

In an article about a new series called ‘The Frankincense Trail’, mention is made of Gaza and Bethlehem under the heading ‘Israel’, implying they are part of that country.

This is blatantly not the case. Gaza is Palestinian territory that has been under illegal Israeli occupation since 1967. Bethlehem is a town in the West Bank, not in Israel. The West Bank is also Palestinian territory that has been subject to illegal occupation by Israel for 42 years. Neither Gaza nor the West Bank are recognised under international law as being part of Israel, and UN Resolution 242 unequivocally calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Such sloppy and inaccurate journalism from an organisation such as the BBC is disgraceful, and a higher standard of knowledge of both geography and politics should be expected of its reporters.

I fully expect a correction to be printed in the next issue of the Radio Times, making it clear that Gaza and Bethlehem are part of Occupied Palestine, not Israel as your article implies.

Yours faithfully

[modern]

Thank you for your email,



It is an error and have published a correction in the edition of Radio Times out today on our Feedback pages.



Many thanks for contacting us.











kind regards



DAVID HODGES

Radio Times Reader Services

020 8433 3999 Fax 020 8433 3923

radio.times@bbc.co.uk