Deepening divide in calling Hamas terrorists?
Gaza after bombing by Israel
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, October 11: Television anchor Rajdeep Sardesai asked a pointed question to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, asking him if Hamas are terrorists. Legendry broadcaster John Simpson wants the media to stay away from labels such as terrorists in their reportage.
Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan has claimed that “Israel is not acting like a state in its war in Gaza”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unequivocal in his condemnations of the Hamas attacks on Israel. “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” Modi posted on X, which has been seen by the foreign affairs commentators as most straightforward support for Israel.
Tharoor didn’t give a direct reply to Sardesai, as he offered the national classifications of Hamas in his answer. “The US classifies the Hamas as terrorist organization, but India doesn’t classify them as terrorists yet,” Tharoor told Sardesai. Incidentally, the Congress Working Committee in its resolution adopted on Monday reiterated support for self-governance in Palestine, and the rights of the Palestinian on land, as well as right to live with dignity.
The UK, incidentally, in 2021 had classified the Hamas as terrorist organization. Israel has said that the Hamas attacks have been 9/11 and Pearl Harbour attack rolled into one for the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to serve punishment to the Hamas, and Israel has been bombing Gaza.
“British politicians know perfectly well why the BBC avoids the word ‘terrorist’, and over the years plenty of them have privately agreed with it. Calling someone a terrorist means you’re taking sides and ceasing to treat the situation with due impartiality. The BBC’s job is to place the facts before its audience and let them decide what they think, honestly and without ranting,” Simpson stated in a post on X.
However, there had been sharp reaction to claims of Simpson, as some pointed out that the “BBC editorial guidelines state that due impartiality does not require absolute neutrality on every issue or detachment from fundamental democratic principles, such as the rule of law.” Bojan Pancevski, a journalist with the Wall Street Journal, reacted to Simpson, saying: “Interesting conundrum: when do you actually describe a terrorist as a terrorist? British law defines Hamas, like ISIS etc, as terrorists.”
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