BBC upholds complaint against reporter who cried for Arafat

I am glad to see as a Palestinian that has such a high IQ that you are indifferent to condemning anti-semitism and the fact Israel had to push for it. I don't think the majority of people have a problem with crying when a poor arab is killed - I believe quite a few people when Al-Aqaeda killed tens of Jordanian Wedding guests in Amman, apparently the suicide bomber was targetting "Jewish agents" - but Arafat was a scumbag pure and simple and unlike Sharon stayed one right until his death. Again if you are indifferent to the Israelis and others he killed then maybe you should ask about the state of the Palestinian prisoners that were found in the Muqata in 2002. I look forward to the day Dutch, you and others push as forth rightly for these people to be punished for war crimes. As for Zionists getting their way, when exactly did we get our way? What we have, we fought and died for, nothing was given on a plate. As for spell check/ grammar, for some of us english is not our mother tongue. When you post perfect Hebrew/Russian feel free to critise, until then please use your sky-high IQ to post intelligent comments no tired cliched crap.

I must admit I had tears in my eyes the day Arafat died... but these where tears of Joy!.. I had a litte party with friends and fammily we all drank some good bottles of Tequila I was saving for the ocasion.. Boy what a party! ( would not drink British Whisky or French Wine in such ocassion....) (I recomend all Israel supporters to abstain from products of such countries, besides a good Tequila is a fantastic drink.. if you must have wine a good one from Chile, or even one from California is recomended..) I am now saving some bottels for the day the Iarnian Presient dies ... and who knows I might satrt saving one for the day Dutch and J. Frazen get their call to go to hell...

You really hand on your heart have no shame - read YOUR url: http://www.btselem.org/english/statistics/Casualties.asp Israelis killed by Palestinians is 450 + 227 + 223 + 84 = 984. I see arithmetic is as much a mystery as anything else in life. Again why do you feel the need to lie to make your case.

Whow, finally quoting a reliable source - or even a source - 1722 is almost exactly 50% of Palestinians dead. The same source quotes nearly 70% of Israeli dead as noncombatants - remembering that Israeli combatants are easy to spot as they wear uniforms and the vast majority of these were killed far from any battlefield, so it wasn't even an accident but deliberately targeted. How do you live with yourself, apologising for these murderers? PS I personally know of at one case where a soldier who accidently killed a pregnant woman committed suicide from remorse. Difference between us and you is that we spend our late teen years making life and death decisions under stressfull and combat situations.

again, we have Mr Dutch's inability to count. 2,500 dead at Sabra and Shatila - try 800. 260 dead at Deir Yassin - try 100. We still claiming 6000 dead Palestinians since 2000? PS above figures from study by that well-known Zionist mouthpiece - Bir Zeit University. Is 800 or 100 dead not bad enough for you. Do you really think the Palestinian case is so feeble that you need to - repeatedly - lie to make it. For gods sake, not even the Palestinians are lionising Arafat. Only dimwits from the EU do that.

The whole world was crying - was that crazy world? I was in Egypt when Arafats body was returned and the only people who turned up were the curious. Arafat was a crook and a thug. If you clearly do not care about the Israelis he murdered maybe you should give some thought to the Palestinians who unnecesarily killed under his disasterious leadership. Would Barbara Plett cry at the death of Hitler - he also was a frail old man with Parkinsons, also forced to live a single room for the last months of his life. Before you get bent out of shape at the comparison you could consider it more realistic than your comparison with Ariel Sharon, the only Israeli leader to have removed settlements and solely thanks to him the Palestinians have a free and open border and complete soveriegnity over their land - unless we are still spouting that "biggest prison" crap.

I completely agree with you about Ha'aretz being used to bash Israel. However, I do think that people have the right to voice their opinion in a non-threatening way. This should be a tool to spread understanding of each other, not fear to speak out for your beliefs.

Thank you for your support. You made the exact point that I have been trying to. This site should be used as a tool to understand each other, not to insult and threaten. I have sent this message before (164) and have even sent two directly to realistic asking for him or her to respond (170 and 177) i have yet to receive a response from realistic, or one based on message 164. While i belive that everyone has the right to their own opinion, i consider it childish for people to respond the way they have been. And as far as realistic is concerned, i think that not responding to me when i show interest in understanding is foolish and immature. Here is a list of the previous messages that are mine-please read them (if you have not already) and get back to me: it's good to have someone agreeable among all of these people. Messages 161, 164, 170, 174, 177

How long does it usually take for a response to appear?

There no way you can avoid strong language about some of the lies against Israel allowed by Ha'aretz. The problem is that replies are censored usually and there is no balance in this forum

It's simply offensive to the highest degree to read their derogatoray comments about Israel and the Jews. If you don't allow us to reply "in kind" maybe you should censor their posts as well. My posts in reply to Realistic's messages 212,213 and 214 were not using more offensive. words than his...yet I was censored.Why? Is political correctness a one way street? Are Israel bashers right and we are wrong?

Madison, I noticed that you wrote "jew haters should be expelled from all parts of Israel (including the territories!) what territories are you talking about, the OCCUPIED TERRITORIES? Now let us say it together, OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. You see truthful reporting isn't that difficult. Thank you for you cooperation.

Those who attack Israel in this forum get away with language reminiscent of the most vile antisemitic propaganda in the media and on the net. Those who try to respond more or less in "kind" and support Israel are censored. Ha'aretz you may as well invite David Duke to publish in your paper and post in your talkback because frankly unless you put some "teeth" in comments or allow us to do so you may loose any credibility as a fair and balanced publisher of free opinions.

Forget about us for a little while. He singlehandedly created a civil war in Lebanon which killed tens of thousands. He then went on into Jordan and actually tried to take it over militarily(late 1970s, not that long ago), ending in the "Black September" incident where the Jordanian government ended up killing 10s of thousands of Palestinians. Of course...the Billions of dollars his wife has inherited and refuses to give back are also a part of his legacy you cried over. When you say "his" people, you have no idea how right you are. So...tried to take over by force two Muslim countries, resulting in tens if not hundreds of thousands dead, robbed "his" people to poverty and ignorance, the list goes on, but...aren't you ready to NOT be his? B"H

B"H

I, too, wept: angrily, & bitterly. The tHief buried $1.2 BILLION. Would it have hurt him to let me have a measly 50 million. HE got what he deserves. Hope he never gets those 72 young boys (on the other side).

Wow! Sometimes I respond to reasonable anti-Israel arguments that I disagree with, but lately the anti-Israel posts have become so bad that I dont even think they do the Palestinian side justice. To Pro-Israel posters: If you do engage these people in discussion/argument, please do not sink to their level.

"I had never heard of this Platt either but it is really bad when a journalist is impartail like this. The news is supposed to be news." - Rob I want data, not opinion. I seek opinion as well, but I have a far different expectation of the "news" and the editorial page. In the end, the argument goes; that this reporter would not become tearful upon seeing Sharon whisked in a helicopter off to his death. I don't know. I cannot know. That prediction was not made with a scientific theory by which methods to question it could be devised.

BBC gets far too much attention for providing low quality journalism. Those interested in quality journalism from a source within the UK should read The Scotsman - they have become what BBC should have been.

Of course it was expected that Platt would shed some tears.

I had never heard of this Platt either but it is really bad when a journalist is impartail like this. The news is supposed to be news.

maybe you will make it to Nobel Peace Prize....there are only 8 of you,,,,not bad out of 1.4 billion.

do you know what you are talking about ? We do very well in Israel. We dont have to do military service either. I would never leave Israel...i love this country and the jews are my friends.

In my opinion anyone who routinely listened to the BBC could find an institutionalized bias against Israel. Another BBC reporter, Liz Doucette, largely ignored shooting into jewish neighborhoods in favor of stronly covering her impression of the wrongful appropriation of arab lands when reporting on Har Homa. I don't listen to the BBC anymore by radio and internet, and it is no great loss. It has no credibility to me for fair reporting.

HONEST? ... Well how come his wife lived in such opulence in Paris. Where did Arafat obtain his money from.It can only be from E.U/gulf state funds intended for his people. Anyway here's some evidence: CBS) Yasser Arafat diverted nearly $1 billion in public funds to insure his political survival, but a lot more is unaccounted for. Jim Prince and a team of American accountants - hired by Arafat's own finance ministry - are combing through Arafat's books. Given what they've already uncovered, Arafat may be rethinking the decision. Lesley Stahl reports. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/07/60minutes/main582487.shtml Meow, you are either dumb, exceedingly naive, or an apologist for terror(possibly all three) This is whayt El Birawi on a haaretz talkback had to say to Ibrahim about arafat ashort time ago. "Ibrahim/ Ramadan kareem. All I can say is the guy was a loser. I had the chance to be at the UN when he made his first famous speach and has a chance to meet the leadership. I was conviced from that time, the cause was lost with such stupid people in charge.I was never for Oslo because it was Arafat way to save his ass after siding with Saddam and after he cause the forcefull expulsion of over 350,000 Palestinians from Kuwait, who lost more than $13 billion in assets according to the World Bank. He should have been hanged for what he did in Kuwait, let alone all the mistake he made. Too bad most,if not all of the Palestinian intellectuals and businesmen where silent while he took us from one disaster to another. It takes smart to win. Arafat was the clown, and the PLO was the circus and we watched the show. almahzaleh." Lets have 1 informative post with 1 imaginative or original thought or idea that could only be generated by an adult mind.Like el birawis. Salem

Israel is trying to make any kind of support for the Arabs labelled as "ethically wrong". Israel has successfully went ahead and got the Holocaust recognized. Thats fair. They went ahead and pushed for the whole "Anti-Semitism" is immoral. Whatever. Now they're trying to punish leaders and media for being Pro-Arab, or even having natural human emotions in crying when a poor Arab dies... ILLEGAL. It seems as if the zionists keep pointing fingers and screaming "witch" (as per the Salem witch trials... (not the Arab village Salem where the zionist-terrorist settlers uprooted 250 Arab olive trees). The zionists-terrorists can keep crying "witch" or "wolf" or whatever they want to, but as long as this planet has HUMANS, who obviously can tell what truly is immoral or unethical, then Israel will never get her way. FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Vladimer, this Palestinian named Realistic has an education and an IQ you can only dream of having. But I do enjoy your amusing and highly intelligent posts... keep em up buddy! FREE PALESTINE!!!!!

That's about as much as a reply to your post as you deserve. Arabs treated equal to Jews in Israel? HA!! FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!!

realistic You are blind and you have wishful thinking. Nothing more be said except the THREE LETTERS: OIL,OIL,OIL,OIL,OIL,OIL,OIL,OIL, AND SO IT GOES. They cried? I don't think so! Perhaps crocodile tears in public, but once behind their curtains and among themselves. IN PRIVATE? Not a chance! They probably heaved a sigh of relief! Wake up man! FREEEEEE ISRAEEEEEEEEEL FROM YOUR LOT. S

Hi there edwin I was also wondering about that so-called student of psychology.Indeed what a load of platitudes she presents! It reminds us of some lost soul who venture and adopt a criminal on "Death Raw" and even marry them. How disgusting it all sounds. In this case I feel sure that she was probably egged on by the BBC as well. But I know of many female correspondents who report dreadful cases and remain detached.They have to,otherwise their jobs would be untenable! I say enough about this histerical woman. S

Reading about the uprooting of hundreds of olive trees today in my Holy Land seems to be a thuggery of Jewish illegal colonists which took a chain saw to cut down those precious olive trees. Hillary Clinton would probably agree with the part of the AP caption which blames and dehumanises the victims of this criminal act: "The settlers say they cut down the trees to prevent Palestinians from attacking them under cover of the olive groves." Yea...right How disgusting!!

arab refugees have no right to return whatsoever. there is not any obliging resolution General assembly resolutions are not obliging. anyway, israel is not responsible for criminal acts of pal band and arab governments who did try to destroy state of israel. boys you are loosers and you lost the first time as all the others and you should pay the price. you will never return to israel, forget it, try some other thing. i understand you are pour and you see great welth in israel and of course, as the real arab you want to steal. do not bother we are not fraerim. but you are.

"Realistic" this is what you wrote: "I dont know what imaginary world you popped out of, but last time I checked and spoke to my relatives who are living in parts of Israel proper... the Israeli Arabs were discriminated in every aspect of Israeli society." Okay so let's get this straight. You are writing to me based on what your relatives say. Oh my! and I who actually live here am dilusional. Interesting. Everyday I send my son to a mixed Arab-Jewish Israeli school. I come in contact with Arabs everyday. I have never seen a sign on any building or restaurant or restroom saying "No Arabs allowed." Never. It must be an illusion when I sit with Arabs on the train. The women free to cover their heads if they so choose. An illusion? the manager of the cellphone shop today was a Arab, illusion or what? I have seen many of an election come and go, I have seen the Arabs of Wadi Ara actively participate in campaigning and voting. an illusion? As for visiting their families in the West Bank? No Israeli Arab or Jew is allowed into the West Bank, just too darn dangerous for Arabs as well as Jews. You go on to write out of ignorance. "really dont know what little world you`re coming from, but if you call that "equality" and "democracy", then I definantly feel as if you dont know what the hell you`re talking about buddy." I happen to be writing from the place that you can only imagine. I am writing from what I see and meet daily, not some hogwash spewed from some angry relative who has ego problems. Democaracy is one person one vote. If it means that the Arabs are not running the show then so be it. One person one vote, this is what the Arabs of Israel have, as well as health care, the right to council, the right to a court hearing, the right to go wherever they like in this fair land. As for expressing their political views, are you trying to say that Ahmed Tibi, while he was a member of the knesset, he was also a close advisor to Arafat. he is well-known here for standing with Arafat and the Fatah cronies and singing heartfelt songs in praise of the shahidim. He is also known to have heaped praise on the suicide bombers. Is this not freedom of speech. He never faced the gallows and walks the streets freely. He hasn't even had the crap kicked out of him. More from Realistic "It`s been established that President Arafat, who`s been greeted by the POPE, MOTHER THERESA, RABBIS, SHEIKS, and of course the Nobel Prize Commitee is an established hero and not on the terrorist level that you so wished he was." My answer is simple, oil money can buy alot.

Dear S. It is interesting that here on Globo TV several months ego was special about ME, 5 days , 15minute each; they did discuse check points and did ask some pals and one of the pals did say the same as israeli army is saying, namely, who is responsible? we arabs, since aur terrorists started tu bomb jews, they have nothing but check us and we have no right to complay. i never sow something like that on CNN or BBC.

I hope you didnt strained your back with all that jiggy. I wailed and mourned,wore black,did not eat or sleep,Arafat's death was a loss as well as an tragic historic event. Noone can replace him nor his love and dedication for his people,his cause,in the eyes of bad people he might be a terrorist or more but to me he was and shall remain an icon of struggle,A voice against opression.A sweet kind honest man. eat ur heart out foxy,plett wasnt the only one crying.

OMG.I didn`t know that they are as narrow-minded as that. OR do they want to be Israel`s darling already there. Oh Israel, "Sugar Babe", but they have articles critisizing Israel. I have the right to cry for whoever I want.

adam, people like realistic, khalil, mustafa etc. are incurable. they are like parrots can only say the same trivial things all over. it is probably due to the basicly very low intelligence, what is correct today to call mentally limited.

Israle throws a cow and make it their life mission to destroy the reporter's career,Although reporters have to be impartial but sometimes such tragic events happen that it even moves every human to tears. The poor woman should not be punished for it.

Dutch for your birthday I, a faithful reader of your letters, wish you all the best in the world. I admire your stout conviction for justice and peace. It is so unfortunate that many authors on this board seem to misunderstand you. They come across as very nasty and angry people who should not deserve a respond from you. They know better, I'm sure but keep trying to kill the messenger. What a pity. Why is it so hard to see the truth when reality screams into their faces? (contributors from Israel) I hope you have and had a grand day and I'm looking forward to reading much more from you in the future, Go?Dutch?Go

Time really accepted that sharon won and they publish special edition and did pay his attornees. he has libel case in france and won it too. the same in israel.

pathetic and illiterate realistic, you talking about one of the best generals of 20th century-opinion of generals world over. and maybe about one of great statesman of 21th. i speak about sharon and i do not like his positions. you shoud know your place and start looking to some cleaning job correponding to your education-in the future and your low IQ.

Of course she'd cry. YA and his stupid struggle and his betrayal of interest of his own people, and the blood of both Israelis and Pals on his hands played role in making her "star" reporter for BBC. Most people I know read BBC for football gossip. There are much better sources for the news

Hilda, forget great danish seamen in 1943. it is a legend. the same as king of denemark with jewish sign on the balcony. danes did it for money, a lot of it, as the metter of fact billions of $. some dane-not jew- wrote a book about all affair last year. check it. Of course, it is better to robe than to kill, or better still both as usually happened.

As long as there are neutral people like Franzen, duch....etc, who defend justice and humanity, Palestinian cause does not die, wether Arafat did or not. Arafat fought a cause, he made alot of mistakes, no one can deny that, but the palestinians are alive and they will not die, wether you like or not. And they have the right to return to the land that they were expelled from wether in Israel or occupied territories. this right is well-known and admitted by everyone with alive consciousness, but compensation can be an option.

I hated Arafat, but I cried when he died. My tears were for an end of an era. It could be Israels gain, but most probably it is Israel's loss. This man was the person who legitimised Israel to 2/3 of the world countries, and to 70% of the world population. This man gave up on the legitimate and only fair solution to the Palestinian problem which is based on a secular democratic state for all its people " A binational state", He gave up on UN181 partition plan. This person has scored more for Israel than he did for the Palestinians. Nevertheless, I shed tears, not because I liked Arafat, but because of the significance of the moment. When people die, we cry. When Israelis die, we cry, when Palestinians die, we cry. For death is such a Grand event. A big deal if a journalist cried! After all, Arafat was Israels biggest loss.

you care, we care. and that is why we read the article and notes. She found the courage to chalenge the rules, she failed in being insensitive!

Fayez, with all our PM's we are one of the most advanced nations and pals are of the same third world lçevel as in 1948. Gap between us was great in1948, now it is enormous and growing. Where there is the greatness of arafat? in his 40 years of leadership gap did grow. What are his achivements? poverty, corruption, death. What pals got with him? NOTHING, they were much better under israeli military rule in 1987 than anytime after. ask old enough pals.

As long as there are neutral people like Franzen, duch....etc, who defend justice and humanity, Palestinian cause does not die, wether Arafat did or not. Arafat fought for a cause, he made alot of mistakes, no one can deny that, but the palestinians are alive and they will not die, wether you like or not. And they have the right to return to the land that they were expelled from wether in Israel or occupied territories. this right is well-known and admitted by everyone with alive consciousness, but compensation can be an option.

Hello Issac I have never heard any condemnation or even a small reporting in the news(when hundreds of our innocents were butchered by the terrorists) never! No compassion whatsoever.All they thought and used to be report which was how the oh so poor PLO Arabs were being made to wait at check points.Also,specially fake films made for propaganda purposess.What a laugh that was for sure. They never once said: Of course better wait and live, rather no check points and DIE!And yet when there were the attacks in the various countries and they sow the body parts strewn arround they cried and showed revulsion. By they I mean in the different European countries. When I witnessed their feelings, I said to myself,NOW YOU KNOW WHAT ISRAEL GOES THROUGH DAY IN AND OUT! And the populace still have to use public transport to go and earn a living, feed their families etc, etc. I wanted to shout it out!But it was only a screen and I was powerless of course. All this is by the way.I never watch the BBC,nor do I buy the newspapers.I get all I need from a non biased internet sites if I so wish.End of story Issac. Have a good day S

YOU ARE SO RIGHT.The BBC has been shedding tears for years over the fact that there is an Israel.Who cares about the one who did it in oublic and even wrote about it? Tears for ARAFAT BUT NOT ONE SINGLE TEAR FOR THE PEOPLE HE KIIIED.This is what the BBC is all about.

Astounding. The one story in today's Haaretz that is entirely fluff is the one which draws the most comments. The arguments seem to mostly be the same old, same old, by the same old people. As I see it, a reporter who becomes emotionally involved in the assignment is not acting very professional and should be shifted to another assignment. End of story. What little story there was.

Well said. viva sao paulo.

Are you talking about the Palihoax? Like the Holy hoax you talk about far from prying eyes?

"A guy decides to do a little hand-gliding." - Fox He should learn a bit of pilotage. The art of navigating in the air. Landing on the wrong side of the border, and the mine field, is not prudent thing to do.

Mustafa, how can you possibly salute the man who cost you your state and left you all in the condition in which you now find yourselves? Unless, of course, you are from the "We Demand Everything" school of thought.

The Palestinian "Right of Return" will be to Palestinian lands. Notwithstanding the fact that you appear to suggest it, the Palestinians will NOT get 2 states.

The BBC, once upon a time,was the voice of freedom. Today all has changed. Reporters like Plett are responsible for misleading journalism glorifying terrorist Arafat.Ms Plett has a very twisted value system and is allowed to transmit these perverted views -calling it "freedom" while in essence it is oppression - to millions of ignorant people via her position with the BBC. - Shame on you Ms Plett.You should report how Mr.Arafat pocketted millions of Taxpayers monies in his private bankaccount misleading the entire world community.

Years of BBC bias against Israel are not much effected by this one particular incident. The fact is they have been 'tilting Arab' for so long as I can remember. My guess even Eurabia and the Muslim murder in Bradford will not shake them out of this. Many elements are involved here including the hatred of the Jews from Mandate days. But traditional good- old fashioned Anti- Semitism is a part of all this, as is certainly Arab oil,money,markets and camels.(exotica)

I was in Egypt when Arafat died and was buried. ALL my Egyptian contacts there were greatly relieved and hoped that his death would serve to bring greater stability in the region. They did not see him as 'a noble leader' but as someone who squandered a lifetime opportunity to create a state. They shared the same perspective as President Clinton who clearly and unequivocally blamed Arafat for the failure of the Peace Talks of 1999. There was no crying on Egyptian television, either, during the airport funeral ceremony!

Hi Daniel To let her come to Israel? I jolly well hope she'd be put in clink pronto for incitement (to a degree)I for one wouldn't hesitate for one minute and do it! Bye S

Hello Yes indeed what a dreadful legacy,with terror worldwide plus as you say:The restricions and perhaps even fear when boarding a plane,or we want to go and watch a game or whatever. Johanes has a slewed mind, one and the same if you ask me. Regards S

Hello C K from Singapore Nice to hear from Singapore.I lived there for quite sometime (the military). Anyway, you have a good point. The BBC used to be a beacon of good reporting throughout the world. Now hoever,they changed and sunk to a far too low a standard. I am glad to hear that you are instructing your pupils to go on line to the "Internet" for a more unbiased and reasonable outlet for information.

Realistic, please respond to my previous messages. While i strongly disagree with you, i would like to understand your viewpoint and explain mine to you.

Happy birthday to the propoganda queen!! May the next year bring nothing but the truth in your posts!! Have a nice day

Hey You! We don't want or need to have the BBC or any organization to cry if and when Our Ariel dies thank you very much. If we feel like it we'll mourn with dignity and without a silly woman or anyone else to shed her tears especially to get publicity for the BBC or whoever.Not in the slightest mister! If and when that happens it will be a private affair. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! S

once again, everyone can think what you want, but for those who are anti-israel and think that the jews need to give the arabs their land back, take a look at this http://groups.msn.com/STANDINGWITHISRAEL1/arafat.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=196

In 1987, Time magazine published a story implying that Sharon was directly responsible for the massacres. Sharon sued Time for libel in American and Israeli courts. Time won the suit in the U.S. court because Sharon could not establish that Time had "acted out of malice," as required under the U.S. libel law, although the jury found the article false and defamatory.

Happy Bday Dutch! Have a great day and thanks again for shutting down the Palestine-Deniers on this forum! Even though they try "re-writing" history, when we speak the truth it irritates them and they refer to personal insults on you and us because they have no intelligent means to back up arguments! Enjoy Dutch, Realistic FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!!

Barbara Plett's tears were authentic. They were for the fact that in spite of his best efforts to deligitimize and ultimately destroy Israel, Arafat left this world with little more than a legacy of death and terror and failure. They were for the fact that in spite of the best efforts of millions of extremist lefties such as herself, Israel is still as strong and secure as ever and will ultimately come to a peace of coexistence with its neighbors rather than a peace with its disappearance as a precondition. And finally they were for the inescapable reality that Arafat's failed and just about forgotten legacy (who even talks about him now?) and Plett's failure to gain him more legitimacy means one thing only: it's hard to tell who is more insignificant, Arafat or Plett.

in response to "Arafat's Image verse Real Terrorists (Bin Laden and Ariel Sharon)," while i do acknowledge that you have the right to your opinion, i strongly disagree. i think that not just one person can be blamed. Arafat is partially at fault, Sharon is partially at fault (i am jewish and a zionist, but i have an open mind to the facts), and both the palestinian and israeli people are partially at fault. please respond so as to help me understand your views.

un-realistic .... i seriously doubt you have any relatives in Israel. Some Israeli Arab Knesset members openly meet with terrorists like Nasrallah or Syrian Assad - they are free to do so as well as openly call for the destruction of Israel in Israel, the only democracy in Middle East. They can visit their relatives and friends in West Bank, unlike their fellow Jewish Israelis, who get shot or are stoned to death if they dare to come to shop in West Bank or visit their friends there. When an old terrorist Arafat died, even in Arab countries, many secretly whispered a sigh of relief.

I said "most" of them were armed Dutch, which is the large majority of those killed, and incidentally, how many of those 568 minors were throwing stones at soldiers and firebombs at tanks? Normal children don't do those things Dutch, and their so-called parents are not parents at all since they let their childen go out and do such things. And plus, B'Tselem is just an Arab-Rights group posing as a Human Rights group, I don't take any notice of anything they say.

Fox, My name is Dutch and it isn't something I picked out of a hat--like I told Tulip before it was a given name--thus I am who I am. What about your own name? I am not a paid propagandist--this is absolutely ridiculous. Like Arafat is responsible for all terror. What stupidity! My writing comes from my own concerns about Israelis injustices towards the Palestinian people. But of course I understand nothing is black or white and as I have said before the brain is all gray matter. Thus, I think all the more reason to try to listen to one another and make adjustments along the way. Still, I feel criticism among states in fair play and I think it is necessary to keep them in line and thus prevent them from becoming tyrants. So please drop your resentment towards me--I am probably doing you a favor--if you can believe that. Politically, I am very comfortable with both the left and the right--i have found they often aren't that different when all is said and done. Both side must give to reach a compromise to get things done. My loyalty lies more with the truth. Thus, I am neither anti-Bush or anti-Sharon. I can admire them both and I can criticize them both. Of course, I am happy when they serve the common good and not their own good. My disappointment with Israel came from watching this conflict for the last five years. When I saw Israel using force to solve its human problems instead of negotiating with the Palestinians. I knew this was the wrong way to go. You can't ignore people and refuse to talk to them. I have never accepted this from Sharon. Plus a military solution is no remedy for a political solution. I think that's the bottom line here. Cheers! Dutch P.S. Gotta run--it's my B-day.

guess your relatives are illegally employed Palestinians, not Israeli Arabs. It's hard to be living in another country illegally - your ethnicity or religion wouldn't make a difference. Israeli Arabs live more freely than Arab citizens of Saudi Arabia, Palestinian territories or anywhere else. Not to mention, as Israel grew from a malaria-infested swamp into a modern technically advanced state, Israeli Arabs prospered just like their Jewish Israeli neighbors.

President Arafat is a hero to the world. He went from bringing the Palestinians just being a loosely organized group of people to a NATION that demands what Israel has stolen from them. No other person in the history of the world went from Terrorist/Freedom fighter (depending who's mouth youre hearing it from) to Nobel Peace Prize Winner and addressing the United Nations. Take the world's biggest terrorist, Osama bin Laden and Ariel Sharon... There's no way Bin Laden can go from terrorist to addressing the UN promoting peace...no way. Ariel Sharon, world-renowned lifelong terrorist, addressed the UN and said something about "painful steps toward peace and "Gaza"(which we all know is the biggest waste of space on Eart) Disengagement..."... the World knows he doesnt even know what peace means. I'll go ahead and state that when big boy Ariel Sharon passes, fireworks will go off in world capitals, even here in the US. Nobody can stand that guy, even the Israelis will be celebrating the passing of the guy who's been "indirectly responsible" for the killings of Israelis and "directly responsible" for the murders of Muslims and Christian Arabs. FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!

after sending my previous message (which may or may not appear, like this one) and reading more responses, i was appalled by some of the things said here. i think that this should be a forum to discuss views in order to expand our understanding of the other side--not to attack opinions (everyone has the right to think what they will, regardless of what you or i think) and threaten.

This is no time for a nap woman!!

All posters!! Simple fact of the matter is that Barbara Plett has an obligation as a journalist to report facts, not her own emotions. How else is a world to judge for itself what goes on??? If every reporter that was famous expressed their own "opinions" on world events then this is a powerful weapon in the wrong hands. Much like the situation with the late Arafat. He was dying due to his own lifestyle and choices in life, yet Plett chose to shed tears for the "old man". Yes had this been Johny Walker from Leeds the BBC may not have sanctioned her, but because it was Arafat it played on the sympathies of the world. Naturally people like Franzen (if that is his real name and political bent being "swedish") will always use the "Palestinian propaganda" to elicit support even in death. Therefore everyone wasting time trying to garner some logic or understanding from "Franzen" and his comments are merely wasting their time. People that make his type of comments never can have their minds changed about anything.

this is in response to yonatan, who said "Maybe she ix criying because she know arafat's next life is in hell." i just wanted to say that, although you have the right to your own opinion, that i fail to see how that would be a bad thing.

I dont know what imaginary world you popped out of, but last time I checked and spoke to my relatives who are living in parts of Israel proper (not including my direct family in lovely East Jerusalem, PALESTINE), the Israeli Arabs were discriminated in every aspect of Israeli society. They have crap education and schools. They are constantly discriminated when it comes to employment. They are restricted from expressing their political views for fear of being called a "terrorist-supporter" (when the only terrorist supporters are those who support zionism). They cant visit family in the West Bank. I really dont know what little world you're coming from, but if you call that "equality" and "democracy", then I definantly feel as if you dont know what the hell you're talking about buddy. PS: Your whole "Arabs are pro-Zarqawi, pro-Bin Laden" rhetoric played out of these forums a few months ago. It's been established that President Arafat, who's been greeted by the POPE, MOTHER THERESA, RABBIS, SHEIKS, and of course the Nobel Prize Commitee is an established hero and not on the terrorist level that you so wished he was. FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!

The Kahan Commission Report Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the events at the refugee camps in Beirut, 8 February 1983. The Responsibility for the Massacre In this section of the report, we shall deal with the issue of the responsibility for the massacre from two standpoints: first from the standpoint of direct responsibility - i.e., who actually perpetrated the massacre - and then we shall examine the problem of indirect responsibility, to the extent that this applies to Israel or those who acted on its behalf. The Direct Responsibility According to the above description of events, all the evidence indicates that the massacre was perpetrated by the Phalangists between the time they entered the camps on Thursday, 16.9.82,. at 18:00 hours, and their departure from the camps on Saturday, 18.9.82, at approximately 8:00 a.m. The victims were found in those areas where the Phalangists were in military control during the aforementioned time period. No other military force aside from the Phalangists was seen by any one of the witnesses in the area of the camps where the massacre was carried out, or at the time of the entrance into or exit from this area. The camps were surrounded on all sides: on three sides by I.D.F. forces, and on the fourth side was a city line (that divided between East and West Beirut) that was under Phalangist control. Near the point of entry to the camps a Lebanese army force was encamped, and their men did not see any military force besides the Phalangist one enter the camps. It can be stated with certainty that no organized military force entered the camps at the aforementioned time besides the Phalangist forces. http://www.caabu.org/press/documents/kahan-commission-part5.html

Zionists/terrorists such as Ariel Sharon and his "Kadeem" party tried their hardest to paint Arafat a slanderous picture after his death as a terrorist and evil person. Sorry. It didnt work. I'd put money on it that when Ariel Sharon croaks, not a person in the civilized world would shed a tear, except for tears of joy. The world will be a much safer place when Ariel Sharon and his Kiryat Arba settlers aren't preaching their zionist-terrorist propaganda and terrorizing Palestinians in all walks of life. FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!

A guy decides to do a little hand-gliding. Interesting how he becomes a reason to kill. Amazing how anything that happens in Israel becomes world news.

all concerned would do well to remember that the palestinians leader was israel's terrorist, just like the israeli leader is the palestinians war criminal

SUBSTANTIATE YOUR ERONOUS CLAIMS

Max Johanes revels in his notoriety. He is like that other incidious one Khalid. The cannard goes on and on. Best to ignore him, for no matter how many times he is chided he never tires and so here he is once again. If I hadn't seen your name and the reference to him I wouldn't nave commented at all, because I rarely read (if at all)his posts. And they can be very rude,like calling Sharon "The Bastard" and about words like ( pissing etc).I am surprised that Ha'aretz doesn't censure him. I thought they had rules about explitives etc. Oh well what can one do? S

it happens EVERY day....

"What a big deal out of miss Nothing." - Tulip Slow News Day at Haaretz. Where is that Paraglider idiot when we need him?

I love your post! It leaves very little room for rebuttal (unless one has an Israel-hating-'I don't care what you have to say'-attitude). I don't have the luxury of having a lot of time to spend on this Talkback, but when I do I'll include your posts in my 'must read'. I usually skip through those that spew the same Jew-hating rhetoric without any merit, or legitimate gripes, to their babble.

Hello Mr. Watch from the lovely town of Venice. I havn't been there in years, but I remember it has being extraordinary and experience everyday the influence it has in my painting. Doris, who continues to slander the good name of the Dutch nation, is a charletan. But of course she is paid for her writings. At one point months ago, I fear they may have had an impact of some readers. But her rants have become increasingly tired and illusional. Her persistent disregard for objectivity has left her being nothing more than a cheap-hag of a propogandist. She spews hate as if dishing out apples laced with razor blades at halloween. In fact she had only served to increase my resolve in the face of her blatant, Hate. Theordore Herzl was correct, his dream was to remove us from the likes of Doris, who spew such hate, whilst not seeing what this trash has led to historically. I am awaiting some answers to my questions directed at her. She will probably not answer, that is her style, Lie, duck and run.

David dear Quite right. Another monster is now gone, both for the good of Israel and others too. I hope his name to be erased forever! Very angry with the BBC for quite sometime for their anti Israel, and their bias. What I used to do, and still continue is just turn off when any derogatory comment is made about us and Israel. This was a leson put to us at JPost by a respondent a few years ago. And a good idea it is. I recommend everyone to do the same! S

Hey un-realistic you should read a little of what Oriana Fellacci has written about your beloved little 'Great Dictator". She, unlike you, met this dog on a number of occassions and interviewed him. Long before you had heard of Arafat, she called him a sadistic dog. Now I know supporters of the Palestinian "Freedom" also happen to be supporters of Bin Laden and Al Zaqarwi, two great leaders whose only intention is the freedom of the Moslem world, right? Magical how you can support a world-wide terrorist movement, yet cry for freedom and democracy. It may be enlightening for you to note that for a long time the Palestinians, under Israeli occupation, have been the only Arabs in the region with the right to vote. Interesting. Even in "apartheid"Israel, the Arab population, whether Moslem, Christain, Druze or Bedouin has the right to vote, the right to leave, to travel, and of course state-supported health care and civil rights. Come to think of it, maybe Israeli occupation of the whole area would be good for the Arab world. To be truly realistic it is time you came over to Israel, and payed a trip to Hadera. I was there today, the market is still closed after the latest terrorist bombing. it was a lovely day, and the streets were filled with all the colors, cultures and languages of this land. I went to check out purchasing a new cell phone. The girl greeting us as we entered was of ehtiopian extraction, I waited seated next to a family of Arab Moslems, the gentleman that served us had a Russian accent and everything was fine. That is the real Israel a great menage of cultures, seeking to survive and live their lives day to day. that is reality, the sick cry for freedom which supports terror and the upsetting of this ideal is the major cause of the violence. We want to live is peace, now that is reality.

This question begs to be answered. I know that much of what you say is said "tongue in cheek". It is obvious that you throw out alot of garbage that nopt even you believe. But the bigger the lie the better the chance that it will be believed. One of your biggest lies, is that you were "once a friend of Israel." I am overjoyed every time I read this, it is intended to show that you are an objective soul who once loved the idea of a Jewish state, but at some point in history you were overcome by your distate for Israel's actions. Does this sound right? If this is so, if you are such a noble and righteous soul, please relate to us when it was exactly that you became a mind-numbing blind supporter of everything and everybody anti-zionist. I would also appreciate a definition of some sort of your politics. You are anti-bush, anti-Sharon, anti-zionist and pro-Arafat, pro-bin Laden, pro-Hamas, pro-Hizbolalalala...so where does this leave you. Are you so far-left that you have become far right? Please explain this to me, I am actually interested. Again thank you for your precious time. Getting cold there in occupied NEW ENGLAND EH?

Fox, You have now attained the level of legendary status!!! Not bad for an ex- canadian artist!!! Doris will adopt her usual modus operandi, she will ignore your post as she could not possibly refute 1 thing which you have said...

THe people cried for Stalin...I wonder if this reporter ever shed a tear for all of the dead Israelis that were victims of Arafat. I wonder if she cried for any of the dead Americans on 9/11, dead Brits on the subway earlier this year. We all know that answer....Not a tear. It's just sickness through and through.

On year's end of 2004 ABC news had a final goodbye to 2004 and had the most memorable events. That included an image of the funeral of Arafat and a voice over by an ABC anchorman saying "2004 marked the death of a world leader who brought his people to the top of the world's agenda, President Yassir Arafat". They showed an image of him waving before he got onto the helicopter for France, with the background music very somber. An NBC anchoperson on summing up 2004's top events noted Arafat as a "hero". And had military beat while showing images of his funeral. Those commentaries brought tears to my eyes. Arafat was a hero for myself. Whether Israel or it's supporters want to admit it or not, Arafat was viewed as a world leader and his passing was a major world history event. Israel's STATED post-homous anti-Arafat slander agenda wasn't as successful as they were hoping for. FREE PALESTINE!!!!

Arafat may be a Nobel Peace laureate, but he is no Noble by any criterta.

"Most of the time BBC reporting (especially the 10 o`clock news on tv) is `unbiased`. In practice this often means extremely bland reporting of facts without any effort to explain the background, the context." There is no conflict, or shouldn't be, between unbiased reporting and lively, contextual reporting. The fact that the BBC can't figure out how to do both just indicates that their reputation as a first class news organization is no longer deserved.

Thank you for your intelligent contribution: a breath of fresh air amongst all the stale insults and accusations of bias directed at Barbara Plett. I find it pathetic and depressing that she comes under attack for showing compassion for a dying man, who was and remains a potent symbol of the Palestinian struggle for self determination. As someone who has lived for quite a few years with Palestinians I found her report and her feelings at the time quite appropriate. I live in the UK and closely follow BBC coverage of the Middle East and Palestine/Israel. BBC reporting is sometimes sympathetic to Israel, and sometimes sympathetic to Palestinians. The BBC has (or had?) a tradition, enabling journalists to file reports with a more personal view of the events they cover. Barbara Plett's report is an example of this. It is depressing that she is now being crucified for this. Most of the time BBC reporting (especially the 10 o'clock news on tv) is 'unbiased'. In practice this often means extremely bland reporting of facts without any effort to explain the background, the context. People who have little or no knowledge about the complexities of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians end up being served poorly with this 'surface reporting'. Since 9/11 and the Hutton report the bosses at BBC do not want to make waves. They do not want to offend Tony Blair's government, which - compared to previous British governments - is more pro-Israeli. The sad fact is that if you really want to get good information about what is going on in Israel/Palestine nowadays one often needs to turn to non-BBC sources.

"As for the number of victims on both sides, it holds no water. For starters, there are more innocent victims among the Israelis. And in the second place, it is the "Pal" who commit terrorist attacks. So the responsibility for all the dead is on them". Kim, You are incorrect when you say there are more innocent Israeli victims than Palestinians. According to the Human Rights group B'Tselem --so far there have been 3,226 Palestinian victims and 622 Israeli victims. Here's the URL Ihttp://www.btselem.org/english/statistics/Casualties.asp And it isn't the "Palestinians who commit all the terrorist acts" although it may seem like that from the media bites. But if you trace things back -- you will find the terrorists act on the Israeli side were precipitated by the Israeli Occupation Forces activities in the territories. Just like Hereda was caused by Army killing a Jihad activists who had spent 25 years in Jail. What a cruel and murderous army! Two weeks ago it shot a wounded man. Where is their humanity? Dutch

Max, you truly made me laugh at your statement to Franzen. You have quoted that the Judicial Committee in Isreal found Sharon indirectly responsible for the massacres. Indirectly responsible??? are you kidding me? and who passed that ruling? the Isreali courts? of course they will praise him for what he did, after all, if you find the seperation wall legal, then you would believe anything!

This message is intended for David Landman. How can you have the audacity in compairing Arafat to Hitler or Stalin? You truly are an ignorant person for being able to compare a freedom fighter to mass murderers. Next time you have something to say, sit down, and think about what you will say because you seem to be extremely uneducated. Arafat was overpowered by greed and corruption, yes, I do agree he should have been removed from office, however a human loss is a loss, isnt it enough of a reminder how many Isrealis have died? and to wish for more death? All I can say is grow up

Approximatley what percent of the Palestinian public do you think feels like you and what percent do you think idiolized the man.

The real occupation is the over-representation in Middle East news bureaus of European and American media. This leads to excessive over-reporting, often from a left-wing perspective, crying and biassed journalism. If the news media were equally concentrated in such hot spots as London, Paris, Detroit or Washington DC, they would have much more to lament.

Regarding Arafat, I don't need to identify myself to Sharon or others, and any comparison between Arafat and Sharon, Shamir, Begin (why only men from the Right? why not Ben Gourion, Meir, Dayan, Barak....?) is fallacious. Arafat took directly (Maalot 1974), and indirectly when he sent suicide and not suicide terrorists, the lives of thousands of civilians, children, women, elderly people. These were intentional acts against the israeli population. Bring me a single proof of Sharon, Shamir or Begin PERSONAL involvement in the same atrocities against civilians. I already know you will cite Sabra and Chatila, Deir Yassin and King David hotel. But there is a difference between us in looking in the mirror. These were condamnable acts which took the lives of innocent civilians, but NOT the personal will of Sharon, Shamir or Begin.

Every day Arafat was alive, I thought it was a punishment from Allah. I never understood why Allah took too much time to take this man and put him where he belongs, in hell. Never undetrstood why this woman shed tears for someone like Arafat. He was the most corrupt, incompetent, inept, vicious man Palestine ever produced and he ruined the lives of hundereds of thousands if not millions of Palestinians beside he was the one who signed Oslo that allowed and permitted Israel to continue with the settlements, imprisoned over 50,000 Palestinians in their homes for the benefits of 400 criminal thugs in Hebron, who corrupted an entire nation, and who squander billions of dollars, responsible for hundereds of thousands of dead, and who presided over one of the most corrupt and incompetent government ever in the Middle East and who gave millions of the people money to his wife to live the good life in Paris, and Plett cried, she should fired from her job.

Doris, still calling yourself "Dutch". This is only the opening shot, the curtain flying opening to a vast array of cheap dime store (dollar store) lies. You offer us emotions based in hate, yet dipped in chocolate and served up as truth. Doris wrote: "I think you were a victim of Israeli propoganda and all that demonizing stuff Sharon and his cronies fed you all." Sorry Doris you are projecting once again. I actually live here. I do not need to read Sharon's speeches to understand what is happening here. On the otherhand as a paid propogandist you have come to relish the art of over-stating, exagerating numbers and twisting issues. You are the one who has eaten up this weird mix of far-left and far-right agendas. I have seen your writings on White spremacist web sites. Maybe you should take a good look at what it is that propels you to hate us so much. Dutch went on to write: "Arafat was blamed for terror acts even the great James Bond couldn`t pull off." This was really deep Doris. Actually James Bond was a fictional character who rarely used terror as a means of operendi. On the otherhand Arafat was a professional terrorist, who armed to the teeth and funded by oil money, was intent and capable of causing alot of damage, which he did. Are you insinuating that he was not involved in the Munich Olympic massacre, or was this(caught live on television) just another Sharon plot? Doris continued to relate her thoughts: "But look at how ruthless Israeli terrorists has been--Menachem Begin blew up 91 people in a single blast at the King David Hotel" Doris another fine example of selective information. Firstly, the King David was not being used as a hotel at this time, it was actually the center of British intelligence in Palestine at that time. Secondly, it is well known that these terrorist Jews called the Brits an hour ahead of the dirty deed. The British answer was "no Jew would do this". Surprise. One also must remember that this was during a time when Jews fleeing the killing fields of Europe were being stopped from entering Palestine, and it's refuge, by British troops, which had given into Arab demands following the Arab Revolt 1936-39. This manifested itself as the "White Paper" which allowed for Arab immigration (and they did immigrate in vast numbers from the surrounding deserts)to Palestine but not Jewish. Doris keeps punching: "Yithak Shamir`s Stern Gang masssaced 260 people in Deir Yassin and assassinated Count Bernadotte and his colleague in cold blood." Deir Yassin has been overblown, but it is interesting that it still stands as the lone massacre of innocents by the Jews. Again it must be remembered that this followed many Arab massacres of Jews, Babi Wad, Jaffo etc. So there were some pretty angry Jews around at the time. Does this make it ok, well only the Arabs are allowed to use terror, right Doris? The Jews in the 1940's were still facing a much bigger and better equiped foe. No fighter jets or Uzi's. But hold the presses! You always state that you were pro-Israel for a while, and then you "saw the light". could you please tell me when this change in your thinking actually took place? Was it in 1917? I now hear you going after Israel 1948, so when exactly were you pro the concept of a Jewish state. You then go into a short list of Jewish atrocities, amounting to sixty lives lost. Oh my! Now please explain to me how you have come to idolize Arafat, Qadafi, assad, the Hezxbolalalala, Fatah, Hamas, al Qeda, Al zarkawi. If terrorism is a fatal flaw then these folks are rather flawed as well. so why is their use of abject terror alright? I happen to think that you are not at all interested in dead Palestinians, nor are you interested in Israel, your crusade is simply based in the lowest forms of fear propogated by the far-right, disguised as leftist rhetoric and hate. Thank you for your time Doris.

Are those tears crocodile tears or the tears of optimal naivity? That "frail old man" carried the blood of many Jews in his hands. For every brick of his "destroyed compound" there is a destroyed family in Israel. A Norwegian mediator called him a "notorious liar" after his death. Once again, watching the Middle-East from afar combined with Arab desinformation has created a distorted image. Ordinary people may be allowed to make this mistake. Professional reporters are not!

Suha receives $22 million a year out of the PA budget.

"Most of the "Palestinians" killed have been terrorists, which means they were armed, had planned or were planning terror attacks against civilians. A murder victim doesn't have an AK-47 or an RPG launcher slung over their shoulder my friend." Steven, I don't know where you are getting your information from but please read the following from B'Tselem, the Israeli Human Rights group, they claim 1,722 of the victims were not involved with the hostilities. The numbers are much higher in other Human Rights groups. "According to B'Tselem's figures, since the beginning of the Intifada (in late September 2000) until 26 June 2005, Israeli security forces have killed at least 1,722 Palestinians not taking part in the hostilities, among them 563 minors. In that period of time, the Military Police investigated only 108 cases involving Palestinians killed or injured by soldiers in the Occupied Territories. An indictment was issued in only 19 of these cases. In only two cases were soldiers convicted of causing the death of a Palestinian". http://www.btselem.org/english/Press_Releases/20050627.asp I don't know how those soldiers are going to live with themselves. These innocent victims deaths will follow them to their graves and many to the Hague. People aren't going to accept they all just got in the way or the many fabricated accounts the Defense Ministry puts out. Dutch

I have 2 points to make, one, Suha is not a poor woman anymore. While the rest of the Palestinians had nothing, the Lady Of The House lived on $100.000 per month, in the best part of Paris. Also dear Mr. Johnny Weintraub and other readers please read the article in Atlantic "How Arafat Destroyed Palestine" it is an eye opener. The article has interviews with those close to Arafat, so unlike the BBC is not biased. Mr. Weintraub this magazine is published in the US.

Look I agree with Steve in # 20. Under the direction of Jeremy Bowen the Balestinian Broadcasting Corporation is trying very hard to redress the balance.

God Bless you Barbara Platt for being fully human. You didn't do anything wrong. It was so natural. I cried too. How could I not? As the America scholar and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said in 1844: "It is a doctrine alike of the oldest and of the newest philosophy, that man is one, and that you cannot injure any member, without a sympathetic injury to all the members" But these are difficult and fictitious times like Michael Moore said. Today, we have President Bush's proclaiming democracy is on the March in the Middle East when it's really the US army-especially if you look at the ledger sheet. Then we have his cheerleading friend Sharon who jumps on board with his phony war on terror which he uses as a cover to suppress the Palestinian people and grabs their land and now he wants to hurry up and mark his borders. Both men represent terrible falsehoods and someday good people will give back what they have stolen. Because that's what is takes to build trust and confidence in government again--to admit wrong doing. As Gandhi assures us from history the way of the truth and love has never failed: "When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS." - Mahatma Gandhi Too bad your editor made you write an apology--but knowing the good heart you displayed, But I am sure you were able to his daft request and place in perspective of the times. Dutch

are you in the business of selective quoting ? from the report you can see that Israel's entry into west beirut even after the phalange massacre ultimately saved many palestinian lives. http://www.mallat.com/articles/jerusalemreportprofile.htm Kohn, for her part, argues that the case in Belgium is based on a twisted reading of the Kahan Commission report. Quoting from a well-thumbed copy, she stresses that the report found Sharon responsible "for having disregarded the danger of acts of vengeance and bloodshed by the Phal-angists against the population of the refugee camps, and having failed to take this danger into account when he decided to have the Phalangists enter the camps." Says Kohn: "Between this and claiming the Kahan Commission found the prime minister 'responsible' for what happened, there are many, many kilometers. They are trying to put Sharon in Hobeika's clothes of course " There is great sense in the supposition that had I.D.F. troops not entered West Beirut, a situation of total chaos and battles between various combat forces would have developed, and the number of victims among the civilian population would have been far greater than it ultimately was. The Israeli military force was the only real force nearby which could take control over West Beirut so as to maintain the peace and prevent a resumption of hostile actions between various militias and communities. "

I don't know what all the fuss is about. We should all be thankful that Arafat is now burning in hell and we should concentrate on stopping future little 'Yassers' following in his evil footsteps!!

Shlomo; I can imagine you didn't shed a tear for Arafat from the way you spoke about him. He was just that monstrous terrorist Sharon said he was. While I agree he was a terrorist but so was Sharon, Shamir and Begin. They also participated in the armed resistance forces and murdered many innocent people along the way. But you seem to think that was okay but I don't. Yet Israelis rewarded their terrorists by electing them to high office. Thus, it seems to me there are gross double standards in the Israeli system and psyche. I think people need to get off their high horses over there and take another look in the mirror. Dutch

The official term is Bumiputra. Anybody crying at the BBC?

Arafat carried out a terror war aimed to destroy Israel. He didn't want good for his people, but the destruction of Israel at any rate, so he never accepted to have a state the many times it was offered to him, he kept the "pals" on a permanent state of war and made bussiness on them.

A brave man he deserves our tears. He fought the brutal occupation of his people till the end. The isralies have so much blood on their hands i do not see them in the future. Peace be on you President Arafat.

Dear Dutch, I can assure you that hardly any in Finland were even sad when mr Arafat died. What do you think about us. But I'm getting sick about those idiots who accuse Israel for defending its children and women against maybe the most cruel terror ever seen on earth. I'm getting sick of these "emotional" europeans.

Israel has not "murdered" thre to four times as many "Palestinians", although there has been innocent victims caught in the crossfire for whom I feel sorry for, most of the "Palestinians" killed have been terrorists, which means they were armed, had planned or were planning terror attacks against civilians. A murder victim doesn't have an AK-47 or an RPG launcher slung over their shoulder my friend.

we beleive that no one have a full control on his/her heart or tears, its extremly shown the biased that bbc has uphold the compliant and sanction aganist plett,while bbc is claiming the impartiality and transparency in order to get the other side satisfaction what i am asking if the same thing happen with sharon or any obeyed leader does platt will face the same questions,however lets suppose that platt act will misunderstand the british media in the region, but how this upholds aganist plett will abuse to the british media and eventually means taking sides

dear dutch how many people in the usa do know 10,000 or 100,000 or 10 million - how many people across the world do you know 100 million or a billlion - either way your reply merely indicates that you prefer to speak in an exaggerated mode to emphasise your position we are not killing ourselves - this i will agree with you - and your knowldege of my country is painfully lacking and i may add at this junction your lack of knowledge about the palestinians is lacking - but there again you have been elected to speak for mankind when people speak in these forums as you do -"we" - "us" etc there is an immediate recognition that you are trying to tell me that you are looking to impress with all the ]people that support your claims you speak only for dutch - nobody else and until i know otherwise the world did not cry for arafat - alive or dead bm

I certainly wasn't crying Dutch, infact I was a hairs breath away from hanging the flags out and bringing in a marching band, just as I would if Bin Laden died.

They're called Israelis kim, not "Zionists", please show respect for the population of another sovereign nation. I could refer to you lot as British colonials but I don't.

I am very sorry for the innocents who die. When there is war there are always innocent victims, mainly when innocents are used for terror purposes. The IDF is not terrorist but the army of a country and it is its duty to protect its citizens from the aggressors. As for the number of victims on both sides, it holds no water. For starters, there are more innocent victims among the Israelis. And in the second place, it is the "Pal" who commit terrorist attacks. So the responsibility for all the dead is on them. Coming to it, have you protested the slaughter of "Pals" carried out by "Pals"?

No, that is not how it works. I have yet to see a journalist crying over Israel, and nor would I expect to see one. I have seen reporters describing the emotions of those they are reporting about, on both sides of the divide, and that is legit. All we want is impartial and factual reporting. Besides which, crying over the arch-terrorist of the 20th century says loads about the reporter.

But making an issue of Arabs murdering,enslaving and ethnic cleansing is not Politically correct. Just compare the number of articles about Israel and the degree of outrage. Then compare just the numbers of Africans murdered. Is it because blacks do not suffer as much as Palestinians or they do not count to the news censors at the BBC. They lied about Blair recently and got caught. If you think they are grovelling now wait till all the resources they have shut down in Eastern Europe come on line in Arabic. Think this is all at the British taxpayers expense.Too bad some of them want to hear the news.

Well, BM how am I going to prove to you or anyone else the whole world was crying? But they were---I might have missed some heartless people in Israeli--so what. No estimates are that complete. And if you felt you were getting a sob story--well you were because that's the way things are someting...that's our humanity --our sympathy and recognition with others. Those are called common human emotions. But in Israel the common is missing these days --and that's really a concern many share about the Israelis today. Have they become heartless over there in Israel--people often ask? Dutch

You always have to bring Sabra & Chatila into the argument don't you Johanes. This is an article about the BBC, not about some massacre perpertrated by Christian militia in Lebanon. And Sharon didn't send the militia into those camps anyway, they acted on their own, don't you read history? What about all of Arafat's terrorist victims in Israel, when are you going to mention them? You would make a good addition to the BBC.

I support the Palestinian refugees right of return to Israel if this right is applied to all refugees. German refugees who are forced to flee from East Prussia, Danzig and Sudetenland, millions of refugees of India/Pakistan and North/South Korea, Jewish refugees from Arab lands etc. All these terrible things happen between 1945-1950. I can't support only the Palestinian's right. Judging Israel with different standards than others is not humanism, this is anti-semitism.

As someone who is married to a Dane, I'm ashamed of you. You have shown that you are the antisemite. I'm sure if you were alive when the brave Danish fisherman saved Jews from Hitler's oven, you would not have been with them. We certainly did not electrocute anyone and as far as firing, I don't believe anyone is for just saying nasty things about Jews. Only Muslims and Blacks get that consideration.

Kim, My heart goes out to all victims of terror. The big question is does yours? The way you justify the terrorist soldiers in the Israeli Occupation Forces everyday --I wonder? They have murderer three to four times as many people as the Palestinian militants. But you don't seem to get that message at all or indeed, I think you have blown it off stating --oh, there must have been terrorists too. Do you really think the victims families will accept this or indeed, that this kind of reasoning would hold up in a court of law? Dutch

dutch given that i dont believe that your trolley has all its wheels attached............. i do not recall from any source - any source, that the world cried - either when arafat left ramallah or finally met his maker in france or even more important when he was buried in the car park in ramallah........ given that you speak in only the widest of general terms "all peoples" "the world" "everybody" etc then you must now show some factual evidence to show that the Whole World cried - i did not cry nor my wife -or mother in law or any of mmy family in the UK or the USA - so evidently the whole world did not cry for sure suha only cried with laughter and as for abbas i never saw him cry or dahlan or even the fabled hanan ashwari so who did cry? finally i dont care who cried or laughed or weed themselves - that is their business, i care that the world premier tv channel has reporters that give true and accurate and unbiased reports - not sob stories bm

Dutch, you claim that Ariel Sharon was "mean" when blaming Arafat for "all acts of terror when he was under house arrest". This is not the whole truth. Arafat not only gave direct orders for acts of terror, not only did he sign money over for weapons and ammunition to be bought, to be used for murdering Jews. He was ALSO guilty of embezzling billions of public dollars to his private bank accounts. He ALSO enacted a law which forbids Palestinian Arabs to abolish their refugee status by moving out of the camps. He ALSO ordered Palestinians who had worked with Israel to be killed. He ALSO prevented the Palestinian press from reporting about corruption. He ALSO appropriated the word 'Palestinian' and stripped it of its Jewish meaning (back in the days of the British Mandate, there were 'Palestinian Jews' and 'Arabs'). Arafat was an enemy of truth and progress. It is not good to cry over the death of such a man. A deep sigh of relief is better.

You say that the people crying for Arafat showed they are human. By my standards, they showed exactly the opposite, when they cried for a terrorist who murdered so many Israelis, kept his people on permanent war and stole the aid intended for the "Pals".

...and I wish to Barbara Platt many, many cries like this one.

Fox, I think you were a victim of Israeli propoganda and all that demonizing stuff Sharon and his cronies fed you all. Arafat was blamed for terror acts even the great James Bond couldn't pull off. But look at how ruthless Israeli terrorists has been--Menachem Begin blew up 91 people in a single blast at the King David Hotel. Yithak Shamir's Stern Gang masssaced 260 people in Deir Yassin and assassinated Count Bernadotte and his colleague in cold blood. Sharon dropped hand bombs in the windows of sleeping families in Qibya and killed 60 innocent men, women and children. And looked the other way when the right wing Christian militia in Lebanon butchered over 2,500 civilians in the Sabra ands Shantila Refugee Camps. Dutch

BM: How can we expect reporters to bring us the human story if we don't allow them to be human themselves? I am sure most of the time Barbara Platt has no trouble keeping her emotions to herself. But for anyone who covered this story for a long time there was a common identification there. Even reporters on this side of the Atlantic were weeping. For God sake the whole world was crying. Dutch

dear fayez your presidente' was a man who did little for his people - except ensure that there were 21 refugee camps still existing after all these years in both gaza and the w/b your presidente' ensured that all those around him became rich beyond their dreams your presidente'did not get a heroes send off from his people your presidente' was a terrorist - what you decide to make of him is your business. no reporter who wishes to be regarded as serious and unbiased can cry or pass tears for either kings or vagabonds - their sole job is to report the facts as they appear. bm with regards

What is wrong with compassion for those who flew the planes into the World Trade Center? What is wrong with compassion for those who slaughered people in Bali? What is wrong with compassion for those who blow themselves up on Israeli buses? What is wrong with compassion for those who committed the London bombings? Etc.

But not for the victims of terror. If you cry for them you are heartless.

I can honestly say that I danced a jig at the news of the monsters death. and yes I was listening to the BBC when Barbara began to cry. This again made me question what our world has come to. I wonder if Barbara also shed a tear at the news of Al Zakarwi's suspected death. Barabara is now out in the world seeking out new facist totalitarian monsters to mourn. This is to be expected in a world where the far left and the far right have become one and the same. The GOOD NEWS, as of noon today Arafat is still dead. But one can be assured that the forces of insanity are awaiting his ressurection.

the sole job of a reporter is to report, give the facts and not pass opinions. if a reporter has become emotionally involved with a given story or event then reporter has exceeded their remit and should be replaced when reporters stop reporting they become the willing or unwilling mouthpiece of the cause that has enveloped them reporting is not about compassion it is about honesty and unbiased delivery of the facts bm

Franzen, since you clearly regard yourself as an expert on the middle east. Explain to all of us how it was that Hobieka was made a minister in the Lebanese government, after his involvement in the Sabra and Shatilla massacre was never in doubt, and whilst Syria was the real power-broker in Lebanon? It?s not a difficult question but it is one that has never been answered - despite repeated requests. Go ahead, Mr ME expert, the floor is yours.

Hal Tripp; You are reading this all wrong. This isn't one sided European journalism this is about being human and showing compassion. What is wrong with you Israelis supporters? It seems to me many of you are just heartless these days. Remember, even God said he was a merciful God. Where is your mercy? Dutch

Shameful Israel-bashers here that miss the argument! Journalists are supposed to be, by their very nature, objective reporters of news and events. The minute they step over that line, they are no longer credible - case closed! Yes, journalist have feelings, and they cry, laugh, etc. like the rest of us. But the moment that they share this with the world in the context of the news they are reporting, it immediately becomes commentary, editorial, opinion, and therefore, BIASED!! Plett is no different from the schmuch journalist from RAI Italy news who released the pictures of the heinous lynching in Ramallah of two Israeli reservist, and then immediately apologized to the PA and Arafat and swore his support for their cause. It sickens me to see such open bias. If you choose to argue this as a protective action thus saving himself from the PA, then you should consider addressing the lack of safety for un-baised media in regions around the world, and talk to Reporters without Borders.

Augustin, Marquis of Ximinez, had it right about Britain when he said-- "Attaquons dans ses eaux la perfide Albion" Those darn Britishers don't learn a thing...they might as well be like PG Wodehouse on the Nazi radiowaves or just Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alice in a Las Vegas hotel room. So, I suggest this little lady on the news, learn something and quit crying while she's ahead. And BBC ought to fry that little lass or get her to do something else that don't involve news unless it is something that would involve something that she would be appropriate for which in these cases she has proven something that is not apprortiate which is news. So, get her off the news.

Did she cry over school children slaughtered on buses by terrorists financed by Arafat?

Media outlets should be neutral and inform with objectivity. And the point is that journalist cried for a terrorist.

What could be more human than to cry at the failing health of an old frail man? It was so sad and I shall never forget it. It seemed as if the whole world was crying except for some heartless Israelis. But I shall never forgive Sharon for being so mean to Arafat and accusing him for all acts of terror when he was under house arrest in his tumbled down compound. He is the one who should be reprimanded by the world not Barara Platt. she was just being human. Dutch

Wendy Orange! As a psychologist you should know that empathy with a murderer and psychopath is not really good psycho-social development. You should also know that Psychologists also have a duty to the community at large and report clients such as pedophiles and murderers as part of their responsibility. Even Carl Rogers would have been nauseated at your inappropriate and misguided empathy. Wendy! What do they teach you at Professional Development seminars-if you do attend that is.

the bbc are admitting that a reporter who's function is to report the news in as umbiased and impartial a manner as possible was upset by the departure of yassir arafat - in showing her tears she also admitted that she was biased towards the palestinian cause the bbc has long been accused of this bias and there is no doubt that the bbc has a way to go in showing the israeli public that they are here to give the news and the facts but not their personal opinions - that they can do in their books afterwards it was high time the bbc showed that the issue of bias was to be resolved for once the bbc has done the correct thing - well done bm

she is only the fall-guy so to speak.the people who employed her were after like-minded people. i remember an interview she made with terorists in jenin.she was slobbering all over them.and these were the perpetrators of bus-bombings. all the people at the bbc dislike israel. i have no qualms in calling them the enemy.

When Stalin died many russians cried but many more were relieved: "finally it happened". Had the palestinians had strength to shoose otherwise there might have been another Hong Kong or Singapore in Gaza, West Bank would be in lead in arabic world in culture and science. I hardly can feel sorry for them any more.

When in November 1995 Rabin was laid to rest in the presence of so many mourners, Queen Noor al-Hussein quietly wept at the funeral. She was violently criticized by Jordanians opposed to the Peace Treaty with Israel, who said she had no right to weep for a dead enemy. It all sounds familiar then, but apparently it really depends on which Nobel Prize winner is dead or dying. Never mind who is doing the weeping - or the complaining, for that matter.

Is the "gelt" still flowing in to Sula Arafat in Paris? Is Sula still receiving Yasser's "pension?" If the answers to these questions are in the negative, perhaps Sula is really crying.

The trouble with most of your readers, it appears, is that they have bought Sharron's propaganda of His Excellency President Yassir Arafat. Yassir Arafat is far bigger than all your Prime Ministers (with the possible exception of Yitzhak Rabin) because he embodied the aspirations of an entire nation many, many Palestinian and non Palestinian alike will mourn the death of the great man and for a reporter to admit she felt a passing moment of sadness for his dying I think is a beautiful reaction.

IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THAT THE RIOTING THE FRENCH JUST EXPERIENCED , WILL CROSS OVER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO INFECT ENGLAND.THIS IS ALL DUE TO THE ONE SIDED REPORTING THAT HAS ENGULFED ALL OF EUROPE.THESE SMALL TIME ANTISEMITIC BIGITS WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER JOURNALISM ALL OVER THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD HAVE WATCHED THE BBC TAKEN THE LEAD IN JEW BAITING AND ANTI ISRAEL BAITING..THE BBC UPHOLDING THE COMPLAINT AGAINST THIS NOBODY MEANS NOTHING.

Bleeding heart Swedes allowed Sweden to turn into an Islamic nation filled with immigrants who laugh at their hosts as being uncultured and naive. Anders surely proves this point by labelling the U.S. as naive! Look whose country is sinking down the drain! Mohammed is now the 9th most popular name in Sweden. Good luck with this trojan horse you dummies! Allah Akbar to you.

Yes some people fall for criminals. Paul Bernardo who with his wife Homolka was kidnaping school girls, raped them and then cut up their bodies and disposed of them in a lake. Bernardo is in jail but he has women admirers and exchange love letters. Same his exwife Homolka, recently released after 12 years in jail ( plea bargain) Isn't it that the Bitch of Majdanek had an admirer who married her and they lived for years in Queens, New York. But thos are extremes. Platt is a journalist. And Jornalist like doctors have to control their emotions when involved in their practise. Would she cry when Adolf Eichman was convicted and executed in 1962 for managing the killing machine of the 3rd Reich. Afetr all Araft has proven to be a petty trrorist incapable to lead his people to a statehood.( In addition being a corrup teif of funds intendent for palestinian relieve). And yet Platt cried. What a travesty!

Answer! Don't hide.

Why does the Israelis always call people who doesnt sympathize with them anti-semits? The fact is that not everyone in the world is so naive to support the daily israeli terror against innocent civilians. I'm not even taking any side, but the fact that you claim antisemitism is widespread in Europe is just crap. We also consider bombings from pals against israelis is wrong, why arent we anti-palestinians then? The whole world isnt as naive as your american friends. Either you know that your acting beyond Geneve and denying it or maybe you're just stupid

Again your big lie. You are trying in vain to distort the truth. At a time when Arik Sharon made the historic decision to evacuate Gaza and and will proceed after march election to finilze the borders either through negotiation and if Palestinians continue to procrastinate and avoid recognize Israels existance the border will be set unilateraly. There is no return to the Green Line which is an armistice line since 1948. And if you dont like it, I will use favored Arafats refrain " Go drink from the Dead Sea" (if we let you in for Swedish inhumanity and discrimination against the Leplanders. You have sceletons in your closet) The Kahane Commission concluded that Sharon had an indirect responsibility for th what happenned in Sabra and Shattila,. namely, he should have forseen that Hobeika's militia would turn ugly, to revange the killing of Bashir Gamliyel, the elected President of Lebanon and also starting the civil war in Lebanon. Whereever the Palestinians went they have shown to be destabilizing and subvertive. When King Hussain let PLO set up bases in jordan they tried to overtrow him. Hence, the black september action by Jordanians against the PLO. In that action alone. 5 times more palestinians were killed by the Jordanians then in the whole conflict between PLO and Israel since 1965 when Arafat took over from the comical Shukeiri.

This was my appeal against the dismissal of my original complaint by the BBC's Head of Programme Complaints. I had to write dozens of letters to get this much out of the BBC. I don't think that they would even have conceded this if the Chairman of the BBC had not already criticised the report. And they rejected my complaints about her saying ?Mr Arafat?s life had been one of sheer dedication and resilience? and ?No one could accuse him of cowardice?.

But you won't tell people about your other lies,you will crawl back under your rock. Why not tell people what you are about,which one is it coward or crooked?

Dear Lorenzo, What world are you living in? Everywhere a supported of Israel turns, they face someone like you -- who hates Israel. While I would love it if your description of reporting was accurate, it is not. And because you think it is, you are either slow or ...

Wow. That Johanes Franzen is really deficient in the mental arena. He still calls Arafat a Nobel Prize winner. The man who could have made peace with Israel, but instead opted to be selfish, resulting in the death of thousands of Paleninians and Israelis. The man who was a terrorist all his life. The man who was integral to Black September. The man ... well, I could go on, but I won't. Suffice it to say that Arafat was a terrible human being and Johanes Franzen likely is not far behind. Too bad you did not live during WWII, Johanes, because then you could have taken out your feelings against the Jews as part of the Third Reich.

BBC and some other British media are full of anti-Israeli bias. BBC reporters probably also cry when Israelis are blown up on the bus - but with joy.

yes, i cried too, he was the symbol for the palestinians, and i was sure he was poisened, Sharon had said he would kill him.

Frankly, when Arafat left his compound, it was a milestone. It was probably when the world should have stood up and shouted that at last a dictator was on his way out!

If she loves him so much why doesn't she join him in Hell

...cried for the thousands of his victims among them Palestinians, Israelis, Jordanians, Syrians and Lebanese. ...cried for the children of Ma'alot and of Damour. ...cried that this barbarian destroyed the lives of more of his own than his enemies. ...cried that there are those who still walk on the face of this earth who have inherited his delusions and his desire to destroy the lives of others.

I know, at least one person, who did not cry over Arafats' death, it was his wife who was very busy counting the loot that was stolen from the Palestinians.

Thank you so much, Wendy Orange. It is quite refreshing to read your comments on the subject. It reminded me that a lot of Israelis are, thank G.., not of the same calibre as Michael and some of the other fanatics giving Iraeli a bad name on this forum. Joe

Did your grandmother have professional obligations that required her to present the news of the day in an impartial manner. It's not that reporter shouldn't have cried. It's that she did it as a representative of a news organization. There is a significant difference between the responsibilities one has when in front of the camera vs. emotions we may appropriately show in our own home.

Give me a break. As a psychologist I dealt with pretty horrid people and yes, I cried with them occasionally. As a journalist covering any beat, one gets attached to one's subjects. All this focus on objectiviy is ridiculous, no one is so. A woman covering Arafat was saddened to tears at his likely death? This is something to make a big issue about? many many I know who are loyal Israelis covering Arafat might have done the same. He wasn't the devil you know, just YOUR devil. Israel really needs to wake up to being empathic, being realistic and letting people they don't like live and die as the complex, multi-dimentional characters all of us are. Arafat can be seen from many angles, mostly bad but also humaine. That this is even a story shows how debased we and the BBC are.

Who cares about this lady? Who cares about Arafat anymore? Much ado about nothing.

Of course she cried. she is only human. There were israelis who cried. I saw it with my own eyes. I was at the funeral...Its ridiciouls that people would judge her for showing emotions in a real situation...to me it only shows that she has a heart, and I admire her for that... I used to see my grandmother in hebron cry when she saw images of people being killed or injured on TV..sometimes these people were israelis, indians, pakistanis, etc..... should I blame my grandmother for being human??? people please wake up, and please keep your hatred to yourself far away in California and NY ..dont bring it here...

A person who cries for Arafat is called useful idiots. Same old story as when Stalin died. BBC is quite a strange newspaper. Going downwords and hopefully disappear for good.

i read the posts of mr.franzen and other europeans and im sad about how some things never change and how the passion of anti-semitism is capable of blinding even an educated Swede when it comes to talking about Israel--he shows such a lack of balance and rationality, such hatred and scorn towards the Israeli side that one can only wonder if the poet was right when he wrote that "the Christians will never forgive the Jews for Auschwitz"

Michael, You're either kidding or promoting antismetism with such ridiculous remarks. I am afraid, you may eventually have some success too if you and a few other extremists continue doing this. And then those very same people complain bitterly about the growing anti Israel feelings ( or would you call it also antisemitism???) in the more civilized world. Shalom. ( and better start working on it.) Joe

Let's say clearly how it works in these days: If you cry for Israel you are an honest and a professional reporter, if you cry for Palestinians then you will "breach the requirements of due impartiality".

Kissenger is not a paid reporter. He has no professional obligation to be objective. Additionally, as both a former diplomat and as a Jew he had a personal and professional relationship with Rabin. Moreover, Rabin's assasination was a tradgedy for both Israel and the entire Middle East, Palestinians included. Kissinger's tears could be attributed to these personal, professional, and cultural ties. Had Barbra worked with Arafat? Wa she Palestinian? Was she crying becasue Arafat's death was a setback for peaceful relations between the Isralies and the Palestinians? I don't know for sure, but I suspect not. The article certainly doesn't suggest any of these things to be true. I haven't heard the BBC mention any of these things either.

"The complaint considered by the committee claimed this "tearful eulogy" would not be matched by a BBC report extolling Ariel Sharon. The BBC director of news Helen Boaden later apologised for what she described as "an editorial misjudgment."" The above comments tell us all we need to know about BBC "impartiality." I have never understood why the BBC feels obligated to support the Palestinians at the expense of the Jewish State? What is it that drives their ideology?

This "journalist" expressed her sadness for the death of the leader of an oppressed people which is struggling for decades for freedom and independence. It's just scandalous.... No palestinian state before the "pals" speak finish !!!!!!!!!!

This is a disgrace for free speach and expression of human emotions. The BBC, and the many western news media outlets, are supposed to express their emotions freely only when zionists or western colonialist are affected, not when Arabs, muslims, Africans..etc, are affected, because inthe eyes of these media outlet these are sub-humans, and therefore not worthy of human emotions!

I wonder if that journalist cried when terrorists financed by Arafat slaughtered Israelis. Or perhaps this was the reason why she admired the thug.

One of the most interesting respondents to Haaretzs articles uses the name "Barbra Platts tears," and if this respondent really is Barbra Platt, the Mustapha K salutes you, Barbra.

I think you people are misunderstanding her she was just upset because the murderer of 1000's of Jews was very ill and would not beable to kill mor Jews

As for the Swedes crying? They never learnt there that cowboys don`t cry...wimps...

Rather than focus on the outward appearance as an impropriety, focus on the inward and perceive the underlying bias: The BBC harbors sympathy for the "poor oppressed victims of Israeli wrongdoing". Of what value is an *apperance* of impropriety? Would the Holocaust have been less of a horror if the exterminators had wept as they worked? Appearances are useless except as deceptions to cover truth.

She did what she felt. She wathched someone dying after a long history of strugle for freedom for his people. He Arafat, has obtained Noble Prize for Peace.

Who cares if she cried over Arafat? Perhaps she had an affair with him!

No BBC or Guardian reporter cried when women and children were blown into pieces on buses and pizza parlors in Israel. We, the readers expect fair and balanced reporting as well as a responsible attitude. When it comes to Israel it is rarely achieved in British media which favors the Palestinians. I. Barr MD

It has been clear for a long, long time, that Barbara Plett was a partisen in this affair. There has been bo surprise here. The fact that the BBC is willing to reprimand her, is noteworthy though.

I CANNOT BELIVE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS REPORTER. ALL THE BRUTAL KILLINGS BY THE ISREALS AND THE BLATANT IGNORANCE ON U N SANCTIONS AND THIS IS A RESULT. ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM- IT STINKS

If Plett ever goes to Israel or even near it I know I will shout Death to BBC... The BBC is so biased to Israel that I hate having to hear it, but they give OK intl. news so I have to hear it to know what's going on... If you ask me she should've been fired for what she's done.... They're jew haters and they should be expelled from all parts of Israel (including the territories!). If I ever become famous or do something good to help Israel, the first thing I'll do is kick the BBC out....

tell me wheteher you think that Palestinian refugees should have a "Right of return" ..yada yada yada.. -Yes. PALESTINIAN refugees do have a right to return. TO PALESTINE! (Even you awknoledge they are not Israelis..or are these people just scrambling to become patriotic Israelis? Or are you like them calling for Israel to be wiped of the map by deeming it all a Palestinian state?)

you may cry as much as you want but here in Helsinki we expect that the BBC reporters do not cry either for Sharon or Arafat.

This woman was obviously overcome for her unashamed hatred for Israel and its people that she found it sad that the direct murderer of hundereds of Israeli men women and children (not to mention his own people, who dared opose him), the man who called for an entire peoples genocide (literally), the man who squandered billions of his peoples money on a high maintence wife. Would Osama Bin Laden or Adolf Hitler get the same fairwell from certain BBC reporters?

You have outdone yourself this time... "I think you should think BEFORE posting.(Franzen 11/26)" Franzen, if only YOU practised what you preached!!

Balanced....Are you serious? You are sicker than I thought!! Fancy, that coming from one of the most unbalanced contributors to this forum!! LONG LIVE Tuong Van Nguyen!!!

This action brings to mind the radio reporter who cried when the Hindenburg blew up. Reporters get emotional all the time. Someone asked her how she felt and she answered truthfully, she said she cried.

Could you recommend "balanced news sources from the internet" and at the same time tell me wheteher you think that Palestinian refugees should have a "Right of return" once the brutal, illegal and ruthless occupation is finally over?

I do cry over Arafat : Everytime I see the clips of him announcing time after time that he would die a martyr only to once again take an helicopter somewhere ,with the queen of Palestine at his comatose side trying to keep the EU money from returning to the PA. Can you imagine such a grotesque "palestinian first lady" ? ;tachy tachy Everytime I board a plane and go through the security screening as billions of travelers all over the world. That is one legacy and trademarked gift of this man to the civilized world. He will also be known for breaking the 3000 year tradition of the olympic games symbol of fraternity between friends and foes [which even Hitler tried to respectin 1936] by gifting us the world at large with the new Arafat-invented olympic sport of athlete kidnapping and killing.Nice gold medal won for the Palestinian cause.

Point is HER PERSONAL FEELINGS are NOT the news story. This long-time left-wing anti-semite not only should not be employed by any supposedly unbiased form of media, but if she is as the BBC is the perfect spot for her ilk, she should have just reported the story not ABOUT HERSELF. However since this was the BBC and her specifically - 'The medium is the message'.

I was a tutor and had always encouraged my students to listen to the BBC to improve their language skills as well as increasing their knowledge of general affairs. This Barbara Plett is but one of the many BBC correspondents (another notorious one is Caroline Hawley)who consistently and constantly filed extremely biased reports. It sickens me that such a renowned news organisation allowed such practices. I stopped recommending BBC to my students and instead asked them to check balanced news sources from the internet. I am glad that BBC "caved in". It is long overdue. Hopefully, it will regain its reputation as a reliable news organisation.

I hvae a sneaking suspicion he would have wept uncontrollably seeking sollace with the gun toting members of hamas!! In any event that would not have been possible due to franzen's english which based on his contributions to this forum would be alot like amir peretz's!!

Maybe in the future no BBC reporter will cry when Ariel Sharon is about to die and thus Barbara Plett failed in showing "due impartiality". Wow talk about cave in. These special interest groups, that reaches into the editorial offices of the news media, is now saying that maybe nobody will cry over a man that was found to bear "personal responsibility" for sending in the Phalange into Sabra & Shatila and thus we can shade no tears for a Noble Peace Prize winner. Talk about apples and oranges.

So when a reporter is asked what she/he felt standing at a pile of murdered children she/he isn't allowed to express her/his feelings. Is that your "point"? Or has she in order to express any feelings for the dead children have to say something nice about the murderer? I think you should think BEFORE posting.

Recommendations and Closing Remarks by the Israeli Kahane Commission -"The Minister of Defense, Mr. Ariel Sharon We have found, as has been detailed in this report, that the Minister of Defense bears personal responsibility. In our opinion, it is fitting that the Minister of Defense draw the appropriate personal conclusions arising out of the defects revealed with regard to the manner in which he discharged the duties of his office - and if necessary, that the Prime Minister consider whether he should exercise his authority under Section 21-A(a) of the Basic Law: the Government, according to which "the Prime Minister may, after informing the Cabinet of his intention to do so, remove a minister from office."

Repeat again, Kissenger, any other Personality crying on the grave of Arafat or Rabin, does not have the same symbolic effect that Ms. Plett as a journalist, left behind her. It is the action which created the outcry, it is who did what; in this case it is an organisation that is supposed to be unemotional, uninvolved, anempathic. Now, it does mean to show Arab or others who express their sorrow openly, and God knows lots of those pictures were shown from Paris to Bethlehem, as it ought tobe shown. Not Ms. Plett's declaration about her feelings; then you loose objectivity from all sides. Kissinger was not Secreatary of State when he supposedly cry upon learning of the death of Rabin, that is his personal feeling, representing himself, only himself.

The Plett affair is one of many incidents of Biased reporting by the BBC. The BBC in an arrogant way have always maintained that they get as many complaints from each side when reporting the ME conflict. Given that their are at least 1.5M Muslims in the UK compared with 250K Jews if the number of complaints are the same then this can not reflect a even handedness that they claim. The new governors are starting to take the situation seriously with the departure of the previous director general who was unashamedly biased. The appointment of Jeremy Bowen who is charged with trying to redress the balance is a start in the right direction.

The death of Mr. Arafat sadden millions across our great planet. Plett was one those who were effected by such very sad event. when Henry kissenger cried on live tv while speeking about the death of the late Rabin whom many palestinains suffered at his hands, no one complained about the grave "sin" that was done by kissenger?

It is not the first time that Franzen lies about facts. The Judicial Committe in Israel found Sharon "Indirectly Responsible for the massacre in Sabra and Shatila" That was their opinion that he should have anticipated that the Christian Militia would take a cruel revange over the Palestinian s killing Bashir Gamliyal,elected President of Lebanon. Sharon had a moral responsibilty and not a direct responsibility for the massacre. By reprinting the continues lies by Franzen and its ilk Haaretz is directly responsible for besmirching the current PM who took the highly courageous step to evacuate Gaza. Edditors of haaretz can not hide behind a slogan of free speech by Franzen. If you print lies repetevely you are a partner to the "BIG LIE"

Jews and Arabs alike should have cried for joy that such a monster had died. He killed so many people and caused so many more to suffer, both Jewish and Arab. He will be remembered like Hitler and Stalin or forgotten just like a second Arab Palestinian state eventually.

I doubt whether you could calm down and understand what is the essence of the outcry. Barbara Plett has the right to mourn whoever she desires and crie over anyone.: yes as a private person. However, once she becomes part of the public, then she has the absolute duty to restrain herself from showing any pulsion thatt might be interpreted as an empathy. Yes, Franzen, you have the door open to criticise the whole of Israel, as basecally you are not of any consequence and people may curse you or praise, it does not reach any level, unlike Ms. Plett.OK, Bernadotte.

Would it be possible that you could re-send post #5 with an english version? Your post actually makes no sense!!!

Or will they laugh?

Don't cry for him, Ms Plett, Cry instead for your gullibility!

also many celebrated among the Palestinians to get rid of this lepper.

The BBC used to be a wonderful source of relatively objective news until they became infected with a systemic anti-Israel bias.

cried over a terrorist?

Where were Plett's tears for the 1000's of victims of Arafat's terror? She makes a mockery of the BBC we love as a bastion of impatiality and fairness.

This only confirms what many of us noticed long time ago: the BBC lost its impartiality regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict and beyond. This is politicized journalism which should be sanctioned by anyone, left or right. I think the BBC should not stop with this one journalist but do a general house cleaning.

What a big deal out of miss Nothing.

I sent an email to Plett regarding this (which I only recently found out about), but it's not surprising since the BBC had an historic problem with their consistently anti-Israeli bias. I did get a good response from the head of the BBC Board of Governors, 2 weeks before their long-overdue and -needed makeover.

Maybe in the future no BBC reporter will cry when Ariel Sharon is about to die and thus Barbara Plett failed in showing "due impartiality". Wow talk about cave in. These special interest groups that reaches into the editorial offices of the news media is no saying that maybe nobody will cry over a man that was found to bear "personal responsibility" for sending in the Phalange into Sabar & Shatila we can shade no tears for a Noble Peace Prize winner. Talk about apples and oranges.

Plett should have been impartial & above the childish behaviour she potrayed.The BBC is correct & professoional to reprimand her.Reporters/News presenters must stay 'neutral'.

Name: Mitch Howard City: Berkeley State: California, USA Plett cried, millions celebrated! ------ And many more millions cried... all this nonsense about scoring against the other!

Ah, maybe another 'case' of anti-semitism for the always right on spot ADL. Plett cried - fire her! Jackson sang electrocute him! Interesting who's next!

Plett cried, millions celebrated!