PNN – Hundreds of Palestinian supporters gathered in front of the BBC headquarters in London to protest the censorship of facts and the cover-up of the genocide in Palestine.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, Participants in the protest, which was called by pro-Palestinian groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the Palestinian Association in Britain, and other civil society organizations, held Palestinian flags and placards with slogans such as “Free Palestine,” “End the occupation,” and “BBC, don’t cover up the genocide,” demanding transparent reporting on the ongoing crimes in Gaza.
Protesters accused the British public media of “one-sided coverage,” “ignoring the voices of victims,” and “whitewashing Israel’s actions,” and called for a reform of the media’s approach to Palestine. They also held up images of victims of recent attacks, especially children, and called for an immediate end to the siege of Gaza and a halt to military operations against civilians.
Today’s rally comes amid growing criticism of Western media outlets’ coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Human rights activists have repeatedly accused the BBC of siding with the Israeli regime and ignoring the voices of Palestinians.
Not long ago, the UK Declassified Institute reported that the BBC had kept the public unaware of the true dimensions of this cooperation by censoring information about London’s supporting role in the Zionist regime’s crimes in Gaza.
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Peter Reynolds, a British citizen who attended the demonstration, said: The BBC must explain why it has neglected to mention Palestinian civilian casualties or international organizations’ reports on the famine in Gaza. The media cannot claim to be impartial when it is selective in its coverage of humanitarian disasters.
Emma Collins, another protester, said: We have come to show that human conscience is still alive. The crimes that are happening in Gaza are not just a Palestinian issue, they are a humanitarian issue. If we remain silent today, tomorrow it will be too late. We call on the British government to end its military and political support for Israel.
The devastating war waged by the Israeli regime against the Gaza Strip has so far killed and injured tens of thousands of Palestinians, including many women and children, and destroyed much of the region’s infrastructure. According to the UN, more than 70 percent of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is living in inhumane conditions, without access to water, food, and basic healthcare.
In such circumstances, the Zionist regime has unveiled a plan to permanently occupy Gaza and annex it to the occupied territories. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the plan, claiming that its goal is to “consolidate field control” and prevent Hamas from returning to power. However, international observers and experts have assessed the move as a prelude to a full occupation and change in the demographic makeup of Gaza, calling it an example of “ethnic cleansing.”
In this regard, British Deputy Foreign Secretary Hamish Falconer, in a speech in the House of Commons last week, expressed London’s deep concern about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying: We strongly oppose the expansion of Israeli operations and any attempt to permanently occupy Gaza. This approach is unacceptable. He condemned the continued humanitarian blockade and the prevention of humanitarian aid, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the reopening of aid routes.
At the same time, the British political atmosphere has also witnessed an increase in protests against the government’s support for the Israeli regime. Two days ago, a group of MPs issued a strongly-worded statement calling for a halt to arms sales to the Zionist regime and the imposition of economic sanctions against Tel Aviv. The statement described the Israeli regime’s recent policy of permanent occupation of Gaza as “ethnic cleansing” and called on the government to end Israel’s “endless immunity.”