Alan Johnston, BBC Reporter and former hostage, freed as soon as Hamas gained control of Gaza

How nice to see BBC journalist Alan Johnston free, looking well-fed and back at work.

Not so long ago half the world was worried about Johnston, the British reporter held hostage in Gaza for 114 days until July 2007.

Now he’s back on the job and currently reporting on Gaza’s destruction, including the systematic assault of Hamas personnel by the Israeli military. I just watched him, on air, give a characteristically  ‘balanced’ account of recent developments.

Johnston spoke of the many Hamas ‘provocations’ against Israel, but also expressed the view that the latest attacks would probably not weaken support for Hamas (who were, after all, the elected choice of most Gazans when they last had a chance to vote).

What seems understated in  - if not entirely absent from – Mr Johnston’s narrative these days is any mention that he owes his own freedom to Hamas.

Presumably it’s an inconvenient truth that doesn’t fit the script he’s paid to present now his own safety has been secured? Oh well, who expects decency from BBC reporters any more? It would be a rare as BBC honesty with its own audience.

Gordon Brown: the smug face of British duplicity

The ‘public’ broadcaster’s reputation for honesty about the middle east is a currency almost as devalued as the reputation of British Governments for even-handedness.  This is from the BBC report at the time of Johnston’s release (emphases added):

Gordon Brown, in his first prime minister’s questions session in the UK parliament, said: “The whole country will welcome the news that Alan Johnston, a fearless journalist whose voice was silenced for too long, is now free.”

Mr Brown acknowledged the “crucial” role played by Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in securing Mr Johnston’s release.

I literally dreamt many times of being free and always woke up back in that room

But a spokesman for Mr Brown said Britain’s policy towards Hamas had not changed, and the movement was still expected to recognise Israel and show a commitment to non-violence….

Not so long ago, British people were quite popular in many parts of the Arab world.

Churlishness like this must fast be dragging Britain’s reputation down to Israeli levels in the estimation of many Arabs.

I know it makes me squirm.

UPDATE

I’ve since encountered an article by ex-British diplomat Craig Murray with a catchy title, published on January 4th 2009. The exasperated Murray reports (emphases added):

“(British Prime Minister Gordon) Brown is appeasing domestic horror at the Israeli massacre in Gaza by calling for a ceasefire. Meanwhile British diplomats on the United Nations Security Council are under direct instructions to offer “tacit support” to United States’ efforts to block a ceasefire.

“I have been told this directly by a former colleague in the UK Mission to the United Nations.”