Let's summarise the BBC's view of the US embassy opening and the violence on the Israel-Gaza border today through the tweets of its World Affairs Editor so far...
...moving chronologically from the earliest today to the latest...
(1) Do you spot a point of view - a bias - emerging? And (2), if so, in what direction? (2 marks)
[For 'Complaints from both sides' fans, we'd love to hear from any Electronic Intifada types here. What do you make of John Simpson's tweets?]
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John Simpson: Chances of a diplomatic 2-state solution between Israel & the Palestinians became vanishingly small when Netanyahu took over as PM. They end today as US puts embassy in Jerusalem.
John Simpson: Deaths in Gaza & W Bank going up: 28 at present today. Historically, long-term results of soldiers mowing down civilians often incalculable.
John Simpson: Now 37 killed on Gaza border.
John Simpson Retweeted:
Jon Williams: "Our greatest hope is for peace" #Trump tells opening of US Embassy in Jerusalem. In #Gaza, they're burying their dead.
John Simpson: Deaths on Gaza border now at least 41.
John Simpson Retweeted:
Jonathan Freedland: Seventy years to the day since Israel declared its independence, here's my @JewishChron column on the day itself - a day of liberation for Jews, a day of dispossession for for Palestinians
John Simpson: Gaza's hospitals 'at breaking point': 43 dead, nearly 2000 injured including women & children. No Israeli soldiers reported injured.
John Simpson: Correction: One Israeli soldier reported slightly injured.
John Simpson Retweeted:
JewishVoiceForPeace: Yasser Fathi, freelance photographer From Gaza who took this iconic photo, was shot today in the stomach while wearing a bulletproof PRESS vest covering #Gaza. This is how Israeli forces are responding to press and photographers at #GreatMarchReturn protesting
#USEmbassyJerusalem
John Simpson: As Gaza death toll reaches 52, @BorisJohnson queries use of live rounds & @EmilyThornberry (his Labour shadow) says Israeli has an apparently systemic and deliberate policy of killing and maiming unarmed protestors and bystanders.
John Simpson: Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, issues a statement welcoming the opening of the American embassy in Jerusalem. He doesn't mention the killings of 50+ Palestinians which happened at the same time.
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Answers: (1) Yes, a strong point of view emerges, though there are several linked biases rather than just one and (2) it shows that the BBC's impartial World Affairs Editor disapproves of the US embassy move and is also strongly critical of Israel's actions without any thought (it seems) of balancing that with any positive thoughts about the US embassy move or any criticisms of the instigators of the violence on the Gaza-Israel border, principally Hamas.
In further support of the answer to Point 2 students may be given a bonus mark for noting that the BBC's impartial World Affairs Editor also re-tweets points of view similar to his own without adding distancing criticism whilst, in contrast, tweeting about comments different to his point of view with added critical comments of his own, and that this also suggests bias.
