Quote:Tim Willcox apologises to daughter of Holocaust survivor at Paris rally for saying 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'



The BBC correspondent was reporting live from France's largest peaceful protest in history

JENN SELBY

Monday 12 January 2015

BBC reporter Tim Willcox has apologised after he told the daughter of a Holocaust survivor during a broadcast from theParis rally yesterday: 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'.

The march was held in memory of the 17 who died during the terror attacks in the French capital last week.
As well as 10 journalists, four Jewish people perished in a siege by Islamic militants at a Kosher supermarket.
Speaking to one woman in the crowd who said she believed the issue of Jewish persecution dated "back to the days of the 1930s in Europe", he replied: "Many critics though of Israel's policy would suggest that the Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well."
"We can't do an amalgym," she responded, shaking her head.
To which Willcox said: "You understand everything is seen from different perspectives."
The woman, who has since been named online as Chava, was reported by the MailOnline to be an Israeli national who is the daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors.
In pictures: Charlie Hebdo Demonstration, Paris
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Willcox has since expressed his regret over the remarks, tweeting:

Really sorry for any offence caused by a poorly phrased question in a live interview in Paris yesterday - it was entirely unintentional
Tim Willcox (@BBCTimWillcox) January 12, 2015

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: "Tim Willcox has apologised for what he accepts was a poorly phrased question during an in-depth live interview with two friends, one Jewish and of Israeli birth, the other of Algerian Muslim heritage, where they discussed a wide range of issues affecting both the Muslim and Jewish communities in France.
"He had no intention of causing offence."
Over 3.7million joined in the protest in defiance of the terrorists who killed 17 people in three days.
Leaders from countries across Europe linked arms as they led the marches in Paris. Standing side-by-side with French president Francios Hollande were David Cameron, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Queen Rania of Jordan, among others.

David Guyatt Wrote:The BBC has over the past several years had to always balance its reports, which compelled it to show the two, often conflicting sides of a story (except where acceptable propaganda was in play).

In reading the following, I felt that Tim Wilcox was making a valid point and demonstrating balance, as well as being respectful. But he seems to have been ticked off by his bosses and been forced to apologize, because his comments were directed at one of those sacred cows that the media are taught to stay well away from.

How sad to see such preferential treatment being made headline news.

Quote:Tim Willcox apologises to daughter of Holocaust survivor at Paris rally for saying 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'



The BBC correspondent was reporting live from France's largest peaceful protest in history

JENN SELBY

Monday 12 January 2015

BBC reporter Tim Willcox has apologised after he told the daughter of a Holocaust survivor during a broadcast from theParis rally yesterday: 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'.

The march was held in memory of the 17 who died during the terror attacks in the French capital last week.
As well as 10 journalists, four Jewish people perished in a siege by Islamic militants at a Kosher supermarket.
Speaking to one woman in the crowd who said she believed the issue of Jewish persecution dated "back to the days of the 1930s in Europe", he replied: "Many critics though of Israel's policy would suggest that the Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well."
"We can't do an amalgym," she responded, shaking her head.
To which Willcox said: "You understand everything is seen from different perspectives."
The woman, who has since been named online as Chava, was reported by the MailOnline to be an Israeli national who is the daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors.
In pictures: Charlie Hebdo Demonstration, Paris
1 of 20

• [*=center]
  [*=center]
  

Willcox has since expressed his regret over the remarks, tweeting:

Really sorry for any offence caused by a poorly phrased question in a live interview in Paris yesterday - it was entirely unintentional
Tim Willcox (@BBCTimWillcox) January 12, 2015

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: "Tim Willcox has apologised for what he accepts was a poorly phrased question during an in-depth live interview with two friends, one Jewish and of Israeli birth, the other of Algerian Muslim heritage, where they discussed a wide range of issues affecting both the Muslim and Jewish communities in France.
"He had no intention of causing offence."
Over 3.7million joined in the protest in defiance of the terrorists who killed 17 people in three days.
Leaders from countries across Europe linked arms as they led the marches in Paris. Standing side-by-side with French president Francios Hollande were David Cameron, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Queen Rania of Jordan, among others.