Complaint
The programme was broadcast after the announcement that Naftali Bennett had succeeded in forming a coalition government in Israel which included an Arab party. A listener complained that it contained a statement to the effect that this was the first time an Arab party had formed part of an Israeli government which was both inaccurate and a manifestation of habitual bias against Israel. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s editorial standards of due accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The complaint related to two contributions from a Â鶹ԼÅÄ correspondent. The first was in the 6am bulletin, in which the correspondent’s report said the coalition would “include, for the first time ever in Israeli politics, some Arab law-makersâ€. The second was in an interview with Nick Robinson about half an hour later, in which the correspondent said “we also have, as well as that kind of political spectrum, for the first time ever an Arab party, an Islamist party even, which is going to join in an Israeli governmentâ€. The ECU noted that Arab parties had formed part of coalitions led by Mapai and its successor the Israeli Labour Party at various points before 1977 (though arguably only nominally), and accepted that, to that extent, the correspondent’s statements were not strictly accurate. The complaint was upheld in that respect. However, the ECU also noted that participation of a party which is not only Arab but Islamist in an Israeli government headed by someone described in the programme by his chief strategist as right-wing and nationalist was a somewhat extraordinary development in Israeli politics, which could fairly be described as unprecedented, even if not precisely in the way the correspondent suggested. The ECU therefore did not accept that the statements in question reflected any underlying lack of impartiality.
Partly upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the Board of Â鶹ԼÅÄ News and discussed with the correspondent concerned.