Hamas Propaganda at the BBC

April 6 2015

Last week, BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen conducted an interview with Khaled Meshal, the head of Hamas. What ensued was an exercise in propaganda, not only licensed but amplified by the interviewer himself. Alan Johnson writes:

Bowen . . . allowed Meshal, an anti-Semitic terrorist who has exulted in the killing of Jews as Jews, to preen and pose, without challenge, before a global audience—with the full imprimatur of a respectful BBC—as a heroic Palestinian democrat, a moderate man, a peacemaker, and a reluctant liberator in the glorious tradition of Nelson Mandela and George Washington.

Bowen even allowed an incitement to go unchallenged. “Netanyahu likes to shed blood,” spat Meshal—an old image about Jews-with-power that has a certain, ahem, history. Bowen didn’t blink. . . . Bowen [also] allowed Meshal to claim that Hamas was not Islamist. . . .

Bowen didn’t just leave Hamas spin unchallenged. He actually spun for Hamas himself. “Mr. Meshal said he and the group had agreed to accept the boundaries which existed before the 1967 Middle East war as the basis for those of a future Palestinian state,” wrote Bowen. But that is just not true. It is, to be frank, Hamas propaganda.

Read more at Harry's Place

More about: Anti-Semitism, BBC, Hamas, Israel & Zionism, Khaled Meshal, Media

What’s Behind Hamas’s Threat to Stall the Release of Hostages, and How Israel Should Respond

Feb. 12 2025

Hamas declared yesterday that it won’t release more hostages “until further notice.” Given the timing and wording of the announcement—several days before the release was supposed to take place, and speaking of a delay rather than a halt—Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that it is a negotiating tactic, aimed at “creating a temporary crisis to gain leverage.” Therefore, writes Ben-Yishai, “Hamas may reverse its decision by Saturday.” He adds:

Israel cannot afford to concede to Hamas’s demands beyond what is already outlined in the agreement, as doing so would invite continuous extortion throughout the negotiation process, further delaying hostage releases.

The group sees the public outrage and growing calls for action following the release of hostages in severe medical condition as an opportunity to extract more concessions. These demands include not only a rapid start to negotiations on the next phase of the deal and an end to the war but also smaller, immediate benefits, particularly improved conditions for displaced Gazans.

Beyond these tactical objectives, Hamas has another goal—one that Israelis do not always recognize: inflicting psychological pain on the Israeli public. The group benefits from, and perhaps even draws strength from, the anguish and emotional distress in Israel, as well as the testimonies of freed hostages detailing the abuse they endured. Hamas wants these stories to be heard—not only to pressure the Israeli government but also because, in the eyes of its supporters, Israel’s suffering is its ultimate victory.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, Israeli Security