Big White Lies

Did you hear The Guardian's Assistant Editor on BBC Radio London's Breakfast Show on Monday 14 December. He was being interviewed about the maniac who assaulted the Italian Prime Minister, Sylvio Berlusconi at the weekend. Somehow Michael White managed to squeeze in what sounds like a schoolboy howler:

In Israel they murder each other a great deal. The Israeli Defense Forces murder people because they don't like their political style and what they've got to say and it only means that people more extreme come in and take their place.

Don't take my word for it, listen to the entire interview here.

I wrote the following to Radio London:

What on earth does the Israel Defence Force have to do with the assault on Sylvio Berlusconi?

I was appalled hear Michael White’s out-of-the-blue scurrilous and libellous attack on the state of Israel when being interviewed by Joanne Good on BBC Radio London's Breakfast Show yesterday morning about the attack on the Italian Prime Minister.

“In Israel they murder each other a great deal”, claimed White, “The Israeli Defense Forces murder people because they don't like their political style and what they've got to say.”

White’s comment was scandalous and irresponsible and I trust his opinions will not be sought in future.

I also wrote to The Guardian:

I was appalled to hear The Guardian’s Associate Editor Michael White’s ridiculous and libellous attack on the state of Israel while being interviewed on BBC Radio London's Breakfast Show on 14 December about the vicious assault on the Italian Prime Minister.

In the interview, Mr White claimed, “In Israel they murder each other a great deal. The Israeli Defence Forces murder people because they don't like their political style and what they've got to say.”

Michael White’s comment was scandalous and irresponsible, and demonstrated that he is unfit to be the Associate Editor of a quality newspaper. I trust that The Guardian will take appropriate action against him for broadcasting such patent untruths.

I'll let you know what response I get apart from the usual automatically generated e-mails.