11.06.2018 The reply of the Rundfunkrat (broadcasting council):
18.05.2018
Today we sent the following complaint to the Rundfunkrat (broadcasting council) and to the Monitor editorial team:
COMPLAINT
Dear Sir or Madam,
the reporting on the Gaza/Israel/Iran conflict in yesterday’s edition of Monitor marks a low point for “quality journalism”.
We regard it as a massive attempt to influence public opinion which does not even qualify as “criticism of Israel”. Beyond a certain degree of suppression of relevant facts, beyond a certain way of looking at a situation, one can unfortunately only speak of “incitement” – anti-Israeli incitement. No, we do not make hasty use of the “accusation of antisemitism” in order to shut down criticism of Israeli policy. We simply find this one-sidedness and grotesque distortion of the security-policy motives behind Israeli policy intolerable.
Hamas itself says – and Israel confirms it: 50 of the 62 “demonstrators” who were killed were precisely NOT demonstrators, but members of a terrorist organisation: Hamas. Their aim was precisely NOT peaceful protest, but storming the Israeli border, with the explicit goal of murdering Jews.
This background evidently did not suit the makers of the programme and was left out. One wonders why.
At a time when there is intense discussion about where antisemitism comes from today, your programme achieves at least one thing: it shows how to feed it.
We expect the Monitor editorial team to correct the facts, in a manner as emotive and committed as the original report.
We are also hereby lodging a complaint with the Fernsehrat (television council).
For the sake of completeness we would point out that we will publish this letter as well as your replies. The personal contact details of those responding will, however, be redacted.
Yours sincerely
Dr Elio Adler
Chairman of the Board
Presenter Gerog Restle on “Monitor”, 17.5.2018, ARD
“They were shocking images from the Gaza Strip on Monday. The Israeli army is firing recklessly at Palestinian demonstrators, among them women and children.”
“And no, these were not clashes, as many German media write, but a wholly disproportionate use of force, a possible war crime, committed by the Israeli army and its leadership. That, at any rate, is what the responsible UN special rapporteur calls it.”
“The spiral of escalation in the Middle East is turning inexorably, and it is above all the US president and the Israeli prime minister Netanyahu who are currently pouring oil on the fire.”
