AIJAC writes to the ABC asking it to explain the lack of coverage of Gaza rocket attacks

June 5, 2018 by J-Wire
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The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has written to ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie asking her to explain the ABC’s glaring lack of coverage of the biggest rocket and mortar attacks launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Israel since the 2014 war.

Dr Colin Rubenstein

AIJAC Executive Director Colin Rubenstein today said the ABC’s decision not to cover last week’s large-scale violence appeared to be “one more addition in a growing list of glaring failures by the taxpayer funded ABC to meet its statutory requirements to be fair and balanced in its coverage.”

He noted that apart from one Al Jazeera sourced report broadcast twice on ABC Radio National “News Radio”, the ABC could apparently find no room on any of its many flagship programs or websites to report on an attack unequivocally condemned by numerous world leaders and the UN’s own Middle East envoy.

Dr Rubenstein noted that,“ As AIJAC’s letter says, more than 200 rockets were indiscriminately fired at Israel. The UN’s own Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said the ‘firing of rockets and  mortars against civilians cannot be justified under any circumstances’. Yet there was no coverage on AM, PM, Breakfast, 7.30, ABC TV News, nor abc.net.au.”

“This almost complete lack of coverage stands in contrast to most of the Australian media – including Fairfax, News Ltd and SBS – which seemed to have no problem identifying the attacks and the international reaction to them as newsworthy,” he added.

Dr Rubenstein also pointed out that, “The ABC’s silence on the rocket attacks was in marked contrast with its sudden rediscovery of Gaza on Sunday June 3 when it broadcast a report on ABC TV news that Israeli security forces had killed a Palestinian medic during violent Friday protests on the Gaza-Israel border” as well as the ABC’s very extensive coverage of the deadly clashes along the Gaza border over previous weeks.

Dr Rubenstein said AIJAC’s letter also criticised the ABC for its ongoing use of Al Jazeera sourced reports, particularly on ABC News Radio.

Al Jazeera has a known agenda against Israel and in favour of Hamas and the Palestinians. Al Jazeera is owned and controlled by the Qatari royal family which shares the Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamist agenda and provides political and financial support for Hamas. Using it undermines the ABC’s own requirement under its code of conduct for fairness and balance in reporting,” he concluded.

Comments

10 Responses to “AIJAC writes to the ABC asking it to explain the lack of coverage of Gaza rocket attacks”
  1. Roger Ellison says:

    Zero coverage on commercial channels and ABC, so I watched a full hour of ABC’s 24 hour news channel. Not only was there also no coverage of these very important events but I was totally bored by their hour of “news”. As a taxpayer helping fund ABC, I think we deserve a serious inquiry into their operation.

  2. Leon Poddebsky says:

    A former Associated Press correspondent, Matti Friedman, has written about the corruption and debasement of journalistic practice that is rampant in much of the world media when they commit crimes of commission and omission regarding the Arab “Palestinian” war against the Jews.

    Friedman’s insider whistleblowing expose, citing specific instances and explaining the ideological underpinnings of these kinds of benighted reactionary practices is highly recommended.

  3. john nemesh says:

    Good Call Colin.

    Now we should put this infront of many government and other members of parliament.

    They should publicly comment

  4. Suzanne Aladjem says:

    Brilliant letter to ABC and other local media. I resent hearing news, from Al Jazeera. Most of the news is biased, inaccurate, fake totally biased against Israel. The Australian media are quick to cover anti Israel news . I have not heard one coverage where Israel is not demonised. They rarely mention when Israel do do many positive acts. 4000 Palestinians, treated by Israeli medics. Any disaster in the world israeli make shif hospitals amongst on the scene. This is never reported. Demonising Israel has become the norm.

  5. Raymond Phillips says:

    Not only the ABC but the three commercial chanels lack coverage of what is happening in the ME. When reporting something to do with Israel the reported segments appear biased and lack substance.

    • Raymond Phillips says:

      PS., to that end I repost particular items from Israeli sources on Facebook, unfortunately that is a limited audience.

    • Adrian Jackson says:

      The ABC is more likely to cover the ME than the other networks though.

      • Leon Poddebsky says:

        The ABC is “more likely to cover up” the truth about the Arab “Palestinians'” war against the Jews than the other networks.
        Isn’t that what you meant?

    • Ron Jontof-Hutter says:

      Anthony Albanese MP was given repeated extensive ABC coverage criticising Israel, condemning the “killing of civilians” ignoring Hamas’ own admission that almost all were Hamas operatives,Israel using deadly weapons against stones, and lack of proportionality. He also mentioned Israel’s occupation, which was misleading. Albanese did not respond to queries put to him.

      • Leon Poddebsky says:

        Albanese did not respond for two reasons:
        1. his limited knowledge and understanding of the Arab “Palestinians'” war against the Jews, and of international laws of armed conflict.
        He knows that his response would further expose and amplify his severe limitations.
        2.his desire to find favour in the eyes of the antisemitic section of the Australian Labor Party, and other antisemites, whose votes he doesn’t mind getting.

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