Stephen Whittle
Controller - Editorial Policy
BBC
19th April 2002

Re: BBC News Coverage of Demonstration in Support of Palestine on Saturday 13th April 2002

Dear Mr Whittle,

We are writing to express our concern at the low-key coverage on BBC that was granted to the huge demonstration in London on Saturday 13th April 2002 in support of the Palestinian people.

By contrast, a demonstration by pro-Israel groups on Monday 15th April in Washington, USA was given much greater coverage and analysis on the BBC.

Also, we have seen several letters and news articles in the UK media by pro-Israeli figures criticizing the news reports filed by your Middle East correspondent Orla Guerin. We would like to take this opportunity to reject any such criticism of Ms Guerin - whose reports we have found to be compassionate to both sides and very informative - and hope that the BBC will not be cowed by the pro-Israel lobby. The pro-Israel lobby routinely distorts any criticism of Israel as implying anti-semitism - this is unacceptable.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Inayat Bunglawala
Secretary,
Media Committee,
The Muslim Council of Britain

CC: Greg Dyke, Director-General, BBC