Arab Media Watch urges its members and the public to watch Ross Kemp's two-part programme in Gaza and Israel on Sky 1, and to provide feedback (whether positive or negative) afterwards.

26 May 2009

Zaytoun, which exports fair trade olive oil from Palestine, and makes a big difference to Palestinian farmers, is now in the news with its director Heather Gardner-Masoud a candidate for the Times 'Women in Ethical Business Awards'. Please go to the link below and click on the blue link in order to vote for Heather of Zaytoun.

Please complain to the BBC for blocking free prime-time TV airtime for a nationwide appeal for money to help "the desperate plight" of the people of Gaza. The appeal is from the Disasters Emergency Committee - made up of the 13 biggest aid charities, including the British Red Cross, Save the Children, Oxfam and Christian Aid - which said that "the devastation wrought in the Gazan territory was so huge that British aid agencies were compelled to act."

"The broadcast would have highlighted the plight of thousands of victims, including many children, who are homeless and without food, power and water," wrote social affairs correspondent Rosemary Bennett and Patrick Foster in the Times. "By convention, if all broadcasters do not agree to carry the appeal, none does."

The BBC's decision will leave aid agencies with "a potential shortfall of millions of pounds in donations," wrote Jenny Percival in the Guardian, who described it as "a rare breach of an agreement dating to 1963."

"We deeply regret this decision...it will be much more of a struggle now to reach donors," said the DEC's chief executive, Brendan Gormley. "Agencies are already providing food, drugs and blankets as well as delivering clean water. But we will soon reach the limit of what we can do, without more money. For Gazans struggling to survive, receiving urgent humanitarian aid will help them take the first step to recovery."

Gormley added: "There is an urgent need in Gaza today...We are totally apolitical...this appeal is a response to humanitarian principles." DEC appeals have recently raised £10m for the Congo and £18m for Burma.

Arab Media Watch urges its members and the public to take a minute to thank the Daily Telegraph for publishing a commentary by Mary Riddell entitled "Our humanity has failed us in Gaza."

It is very rare for the newspaper to publicise commentaries criticising Israeli policies, Riddell has already been attacked by Melanie Phillips in the Spectator, and no doubt the Telegraph will receive letters of complaint, so it is important to counter this by supporting Riddell and the newspaper for publishing her commentary.

Please thank the Independent and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown for her column of 24 November 2008 entitled "Where is the media outrage over Gaza?"

Please thank Peter Oborne for an excellent documentary entitled "It shouldn't happen to a Muslim," which was initially aired on Channel 4 on Monday 7 July 2008. For those who did not see it, it is being repeated tonight (Wednesday 9 July) on More4 at 11pm, and on Sunday 13 July on Channel 4 at 4.30am.