Benn Accuses BBC Over Gaza Appeal

By The Press Association

January 24, 2009 "Press Association" --- Veteran politician Tony Benn will accuse the BBC of a "betrayal" of its public service obligations following its decision not to broadcast a public appeal for funds for Gaza.

He will address a pro-Palestine rally called by the Stop the War coalition outside Broadcasting House in central London.

The former Labour MP and Stop the War president will say: "The decision of the BBC to refuse to broadcast a national humanitarian appeal for Gaza, which has left aid agencies with a potential shortfall of millions of pounds in donations, is a betrayal of the obligation which it owes as a public service.

"The destruction in Gaza, and the loss of the lives of over a thousand civilians and children, has shocked the world as Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon, made clear, when he saw the devastation for himself.

"The human suffering that the people of Gaza have experienced over the last few weeks has appalled people who have seen it for themselves on their television screens.

"To deny the help that the aid agencies and the UN need at this moment in time is incomprehensible and it follows the bias in BBC reporting of this crisis, which has been widely criticised.

"I appeal to the chairman of the BBC Trust to intervene to reverse this decision to save the lives of those who are now in acute danger of dying through a lack of food, fuel, water and medical supplies."

The Disasters Emergency Committee - which brings together several major aid charities - wanted to run TV and radio appeals to help raise cash to assist people in need of food, shelter and medicines as a result of Israel's military action in the Palestinian enclave.

Similar appeals have been aired during previous humanitarian emergencies, raising millions of pounds from the British public. But the BBC, ITV and Sky have said they will not show the appeal.

The BBC said it is concerned about compromising public confidence in its impartiality in the context of a conflict which has sparked fierce debate. And the Corporation also raised questions about the delivery of aid to Gaza in the current volatile conditions.