Archive for October 2nd, 2009
1,195 Days – Compare and Contrast.
Recent events set me thinking, Alan Johnston, the journalist, was held in Gaza for some 114 days.
The Western media were full of stories about him, delegates of worthy citizens pleaded for his safe return, so many column inches were expended on his plight.
Compare that with Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped from Israel’s territory during an attack in June 2006, pulled down a tunnel back into Gaza.
Held as a POW by Hamas, but afforded none of the rights, no visits, no Red Cross, etc.
Gilad Shalit’s family, until now, had no confirmation if he was alive or dead. No information was forth coming from Hamas, nothing, nada, zip.
After a brokered agreement by the Egyptians and Germans a video of Gilad Shalit and some letters were exchanged for 20 female prisoners in Israel’s jails.
Gilad’s captors, Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, even made him state how wonderful their treatment of him was, here’s a cached copy of their web site.
If you followed the Western media you’d hardly see anything about the Israeli solider, kidnapped, deny the basics under the Geneva convention, held in incommunicado for three and a half years.
Hardly a sausage in the media about Gilad Shalit’s treatment, yet plenty about Gitmo or even Abu Ghraib.
Compare and contrast that with Alan Johnston’s fate. The BBC even have a whole web page devoted to him, masses of information.
Oh, how the Western media agonized about poor Alan Johnston, but Gilad Shalit’s predicament barely registers.
Oh, Western sensibilities, how fickle you are. Why don’t you question Hamas about their treatment of Shalit? Or perhaps he isn’t British so doesn’t count?
No Plugs For Nazi Nick.
Well, that’s what I have been told:
A protest has been organized for Thursday, 22 October 2009, between 17:00 – 19:00, at BBC Headquarters, Wood Lane, London W12 7RJ (White City tube).
For more info see the Facebook group, Say no to the BNP on Question Time
