29 June 2006

On 27 June, Arab Media Watch issued a press release criticising the highly selective portrayal by Paul Callan in the Daily Express of British soldier Orde Wingate, praised in the newspaper but whose actions in pre-1948 Palestine, documented by Jewish and Israeli sources, would today amount to war crimes. We also asked three institutions honouring him this week to respond to our findings.

None of the institutions have responded, even though the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Woman assured us they would do so by the next day.

Though the Express and Callan received our press release, the response, far from addressing our concerns, was to publish on 28 June another article praising Wingate entitled "Tribute to Israel's 'Friend'."

The article describes him as an "inspired leader," quotes Lieutenant Colonel Jossi Harel as saying Wingate fought "with a moral base," and mentions "a touching message from Prince Charles, who recalled the high esteem Wingate was held in by his late uncle, Lord Mountbatten of Burma."

For the Express and Callan to continue to portray Wingate in such a selective and distorted manner, despite the evidence provided by us, is highly irresponsible and calls into question the newspaper's interest in balance and impartiality regarding the Israeli-Arab conflict.

AMW reiterates its request that the Express publish a brief response piece from us on the "other side" of Wingate. As we said in our initial press release, "to portray him in the way it has done is a stain on the British military, an injustice to the Palestinian people, and a disservice to its readers."

Our initial press release is at:

http://www.arabmediawatch.com/amw/Articles/PressReleases/tabid/77/newsid391/2781/Orde-Wingate-military-hero-or-war-criminal/Default.aspx