Sky News joins BBC in refusing to air Gaza aid ad

THE British-based Sky News channel joined the BBC yesterday in refusing to broadcast an emergency fundraising appeal for people living in the Gaza Strip.

Executives at the international satellite broadcaster said they made the decision after a weekend of deliberations to protect the impartiality of the station’s news report.

“The conflict in Gaza forms part of one of the most challenging and contentious stories for any news organisation to cover,” said Sky News director John Ryley. “Our commitment as journalists is to cover all sides of that story with uncompromising objectivity.”

The ad was submitted for broadcast by the Disaster Emergency Committee, a group of charities that includes the Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children.

Ian Bray, a committee spokesman, said the appeal would be broadcast last night by other British channels, including ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

He said it would be between two and three minutes long and that the piece would not assign blame for the conflict but simply say the people of Gaza need help.

He said he had not seen it yet because the actual spot was produced and scripted by the news channels, not the charities. It would include a telephone number and website people may use to make donations, he said.

Protesters say the humanitarian appeal must be shown on Sky and BBC to help Palestinians in desperate need of assistance in Gaza.

Jeremy Corbyn, a governing Labour Party lawmaker, said he and other legislators would demand the appeal be broadcast when they meet with BBC executives.

“It’s a disgrace,” he said. “They must broadcast as soon as possible. I’m very disappointed in Sky as well. They should remember they have a duty as a public broadcaster.”

Meanwhile, the front- runner in Israel’s election next month said he would allow existing West Bank settlements to expand for “natural growth”.

The comments by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in an Israeli newspaper yesterday, just two days before Washington’s new Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, is expected to visit the region.

Mitchell, a critic of Israel’s West Bank settlements, is expected to meet with Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, and focus on ways to revive peace talks in the wake of Israel’s recent offensive in the Gaza Strip.