On July 9th the BBC News website published an article titled “Israel ‘to intensify Gaza attacks’” on its Middle East page. In that report, readers were informed that:

“The [Israeli] military said its Iron Dome missile defence system had intercepted 21 of the 82 rockets fired on Wednesday, including three above Tel Aviv, three over Ashkelon and three over Ashdod.

It said three missiles were launched toward the southern city of Dimona and its nuclear reactor. Two fell near the town, while a third was intercepted.”

What the BBC did not tell its audiences, however, is that it is not only the Israeli military which “said” that missiles were launched at Dimona:  Hamas clearly stated that it had deliberately aimed warheads at the nuclear reactor there.

“Three rockets were launched at Dimona in southern Israel on Wednesday afternoon. The Iron Dome intercepted one rocket before it could land, while two other rockets landed in open areas.

Dimona is the location of Israel’s nuclear reactor. There was no indication that rockets damaged any part of the reactor.

Hamas claimed responsibility for the rockets, stating that it had been attempting to hit the nuclear reactor.

Militants from Hamas’s Qassam Brigades said they had launched long-range M-75 rockets towards Dimona.”

And what the BBC also did not tell its audiences is that such an act is defined as nuclear terrorism according to the terms of the UN’s 2005 International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

In addition, Hamas has also announced that it is deliberately attacking Israel’s international airport.

“Hamas military wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam claim they fired four rockets at Ben-Gurion airport and five rockets at Be’er Sheva.

Hamas says they intend to fire rockets from the Gaza Strip at Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion international airport and warn airlines not to fly to Israel’s main gateway to the world. […]

“The armed wing of the Hamas movement has decided to respond to the Israeli aggression, and we warn you against carrying out flights to Ben-Gurion airport, which will be one of our targets today because it also hosts a military air base,” said a statement by the Islamist group’s Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades.”

Article 2 of the 1997 Convention Against Terrorist Bombings states: [emphasis added]

“Any person commits an offence within the meaning of this Convention if that person unlawfully and intentionally delivers, places, discharges or detonates an explosive or other lethal device in, into or against a place of public use, a State or government facility, a public transportation system or an infrastructure facility:

a) With the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury; or

b) With the intent to cause extensive destruction of such a place, facility or system, where such destruction results in or is likely to result in major economic loss.”

Despite being such an avid fan of quoting ‘international law’ on the topic of neighbourhoods in Jerusalem, the BBC is being remarkably coy about informing its audiences of the true significance of actions Hamas itself admits to carrying out.

Additionally, that same BBC report repeated the false claim from a politically motivated NGO that Israel deliberately targets civilians which was published in a prior article.

“The head of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, Raji Sourani, accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians.

He told the BBC: “There is no safe haven in this place and Palestinian civilians are once again in the eye of the storm and are paying heavily. Israelis are trying to pressure militant groups through targeting civilians.”

So, whilst promoting and amplifying false claims on the one hand, on the other the BBC refrains from adequately and accurately representing serious proven acts of Hamas terrorism.