Foreign secretary’s call comes after group releases video of British-Israeli hostage it says died after being wounded in Israeli airstrike

David Cameron has urged the BBC to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, reviving an accusation that the corporation shies away from a valid description of the Islamist group that is holding Israeli hostages.

The UK foreign secretary told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that the organisation should reconsider its guidelines in light of a video released by Hamas showing the British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell, who the group said had died in Gaza.

Hamas released a statement on Saturday saying the 51-year-old had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month ago. The video showed him with a black eye.

  • @Murvel
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    -1120 days ago

    Of course they do. The aren’t allowed to print anything they want. Public service is governed by state. Well at least in Sweden but the principle is the same.

    • Flying SquidM
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      720 days ago

      They are, in fact, allowed to print anything they want. They are not beholden to the government. That’s a simple fact.

      • @Murvel
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        -120 days ago

        No dude, they are regulated by the Ofcon, a government approved state department and their prints are regulated by Ofcon statures:

        https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/governance/regulation

        And if you know your history, you also know that the BBC was heavily censored during the war. And that’s about it.

        • Flying SquidM
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          420 days ago

          I’m not sure how you think that changes anything that I said and makes them beholden to the government, but okay.

          I’d think the fact that they aren’t doing what David Cameron wants them to do proves you wrong, but you seem to think your “research” trumps reality, so…

          • @Murvel
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            -320 days ago

            Well, the BBC is clearly regulated by the government, while you claim that is not the case due to ‘simple facts’…

            • Flying SquidM
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              720 days ago

              The simple fact being that David Cameron told them to call Hamas terrorists and they said no. Read the article. If they are beholden to the government, how is that possible?

              • @Murvel
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                -320 days ago

                They are not beholden to the government. That’s a simple fact.

                Hm, well see, that’s not what you referred the ‘simple fact’ to be is it?

                • Flying SquidM
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                  420 days ago

                  Again- if that is not a fact, why are they allowed to go against what David Cameron is telling them to do?

                  • @Murvel
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                    -220 days ago

                    Because David Cameron cannot personally dictate the state…

                    One thing I’ve learnt in life is the value of accepting when I’m in the wrong.