This Is How Israel Runs The British Press

Monday, 7 November 2011

This Is How Israel Runs The British Press

Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 11:34PM

Introduction by Gilad Atzmon: The following is a glimpse into the Israeli Hasbara's/Mossad's/Sayanim's operation in the UK. It explains how Israel and its agents manage to dominate news coverage in Britain and beyond. It seems from the following leaked email as if BICOM (British Israel Communication & research Cemtre) runs the News desk for the BBC, Sky and the FT. I guess that last week the Guardian also joined the party. It is now an offical Israeli propaganda outlet.

Bicom 'embarrassed' by misdirected email

Source http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/national/c-16955/bicom-embarrassed-by-misdirected-email/

There were red faces at Bicom this week when an email from its director intended for donors was in fact sent to the organisation’s media database.

The email, sent by Lorna Fitzsimons, the director of the organisation, “dedicated to creating a more supportive environment for Israel in Britain”, stated: “Throughout the weekend, Bicom staff were in contact with a whole host of BBC and Sky news desks and journalists, ensuring that the most objectively favourable line was taken, and offering talking heads, relevant to the stories unfolding.” She added: “Bicom has one of BBC News’ key anchors on a bespoke delegation.

When planning her very first trip to the region, Sophie Long got in touch with Bicom to see if we could help her out with meeting in the region. Sophie is now spending three days of her trip with Bicom Israel, taking a tour around the Old City, meeting [Israeli government spokesman] Mark Regev…as well as visiting Ramallah and Sderot.”

Most embarrassing, however, was the revelation that Fitzsimons – a former NUS president and Labour MP for Rochdale – had “briefed Jonathan Ford, the Financial Times leader writer for his upcoming leading article” in the paper.

She noted Bicom had “regular contact with the Editor at Large of Prospect Magazine, David Goodhart, helping to inform him about the forthcoming UN vote on Palestinian statehood”.

A Bicom spokesman told the Jewish News that this “administrative error” was “slightly embarrassing”. He stressed that Fitzsimons had not been “asked to resign or had offered her resignation”.

—–Original Message—–
From:
Lorna Fitzsimons [mailto:lornaf@bicom.org.uk]
Sent:
Mon 12/09/2011 16:44
To:
████████████████
Subject:
BICOM’s rapid response to events over the weekend and continuing work
on September and the UN
Dear████
Please find the correct analysis attached.
I thought you would be interested to hear of BICOM’s response to events overthe weekend in Egypt as well as ongoing issues in the region.
Events over the weekend
* Over the weekend, BICOM’s rapid response to the unfolding events in Egypt included distributing our analysis on Egyptian/Israeli relations to key UKMedia contacts, generated extremely favourable responses.
Attached here is the link to today’s analysis on this subject.
BICOM Analysis: Israel-Turkey relations after the Palmer Report
http://www.bicom.org.uk/context/research-and-analysis/latest-bicom-analysis/bicom-analysis–israel-turkey-relations-after-the-palmer-report
which details the events that took place, their aftermath and associated implications. In particular, the briefing examines the explanations for hostilities between Israel and Egypt, and the responses to the events in Israel, Egypt and internationally.

* Throughout the weekend, BICOM staff were in contact with a whole host of BBC and SKY news desks and journalists, ensuring that the most objectively favourable line was taken, and offering talking heads, relevant to the stories unfolding. BICOM’s Senior Analyst Dr. Noam
Leshem, briefed the BBC World News Editorial Board on Saturday afternoon regarding the fall-out fromthe Israel Egyptian Embassy siege. After contact with the BICOM Media Team,SKY News changed their narrative in explaining the prior events in the region which lead up
to this weekend, eventually acknowledging that both Egyptians AND Israelis were killed in Sinai a fortnight ago.

This Week
* BICOM has one of BBC News’ key anchors on a bespoke delegation. When planning her very first trip to the region, Sophie Long got in touch with BICOM to see if we could help her out with
meeting in the region. Sophie is now spending three days of her trip with BICOM Israel, taking a tour around the Old City, meeting Mark Regev and Dr. Alex Yacobsen, as well as visiting Ramallah and Sderot.
* My second article for the Huffington Post UK entitled ‘How to make the next9/11 less likely: myth busting and truth telling,’ will be published today.It is a timely response, synthesising the messages
which can be taken from 9/11 with the current, unnerving events unfolding between Egypt and Israel. The American version of the Huffington Post has 1.2 million readers in the UK,and 38 million in
the U.S.
September & the UN
* I briefed Jonathan Ford, the Financial Times leader writer for his upcoming leading article in tomorrow’s paper.
* BICOM had regular contact with the Editor at Large of Prospect Magazine,David Goodhart, helping to inform him about the forthcoming UN vote on Palestinian statehood. The uniquely tailored BICOM
Spotlight - http://www.bicom.org.uk/context/research-and-analysis/spotlight/un-vote-on-palestinian-statehood- has the most up to date news, as well as BICOM analyses and podcasts
on the Palestinian drive to the UN.
I hope you find this of interest. Yours, Lorna

Background Sophie Long:-
http://knightayton.co.uk/Women-Presenters/Long-Sophie.html
Sophie Long is one of the main presenters on the BBC News Channel.
She has covered many big stories and can regularly be found anchoring the channel’s output on location.
During the last General Election she was on the road with Nick Clegg in that extraordinary campaign. Her coverage was acclaimed for its wit and insight.
She regularly presents bulletins on BBC1.
After graduating from King’s College London with a degree in War Studies, Sophie travelled extensively, including a period working as an election monitor in Cambodia. It was there whilst working as a researcher for Reuters she crystallised her ambition to pursue a career in the media.
The BBC of course are impartial. They say so themselves.

excerpt

The Agreement accompanying the BBC Charter requires us to do all we can to ensure controversial subjects are treated with due impartiality in our news and other output dealing with matters of public policy or political or industrial controversy. But we go further than that, applying due impartiality to all subjects.
End