Thursday, April 26, 2007

Double Standards

The EU has tabled a motion to demand the release of kidnapped journalist Alan Johnston in Gaza-

The emergency resolution urges the Palestinian authorities to redouble efforts to free Mr Johnston, who disappeared in Gaza on 12 March. It is also expected to call on officials to ensure that journalists in Gaza can work in safety, reports say. Lawmakers are set to adopt the resolution later in the day.

And of course the kidnapping is completely and utterly wrong- and yet I don't recall a single instance of the EU, or any of the BBC staff who protested the kidnapping, having a single word of support for Galid Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped last year by terrorists in Gaza.

Note too that the deputy head of BBC Newsgathering points out that an effort is being made to keep the Johnston story in the public eye. Much, much more than they ever did for Shalit.

Perhaps if they hadn't been silent on that matter, Johnson wouldn't be missing now.

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