Neil Macdonald's tenure as CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) Television's Middle East correspondent from 1998 to 2003 was nothing if not controversial. His caustic style and overt fondness for the Palestinian narrative triggered complaints of anti-Israel bias. So many viewers were relieved when he was removed from the Middle East and installed as CBC's Washington correspondent.
Alas, Macdonald's new posting has become just another platform from which to indulge his apparent preoccupation with the Jewish state. He continues his gratuitous attacks, marring the credibility of the taxpayer-funded broadcaster's news operations.
Macdonald has never made a secret of his opinions about Israel. In 2000, he referred to "the ferocious appetite of Jewish settlers for Arab land." In 2002, he asked rhetorically whether the terror group Hezbollah is "a national liberation movement or, as Israel and its supporters maintain, a murderous global menace?"
Soon after his move to Washington, Macdonald was embroiled in controversy over Israel. On May 4, 2004, Macdonald filed a report from Washington about reaction to the Abu Ghraib abuses in Iraq. Midway through, he introduced a former U.S. diplomat who declared: "Israeli intelligence was operating in Baghdad after the war ... The question should be: Were there any foreign interrogators among those ... recommending very, very bad treatment?"
That former U.S. diplomat was a pro-Palestinian propagandist named Eugene Bird, and his claim of Israeli involvement in Abu Ghraib was absurd. CBC ombudsman David Bazay later admitted that "the May 4 report did expose The National to the appearance of bias." CBC apologized on-air and CBC News editor-in-chief Tony Burman reassured viewers that CBC had "modified our editorial processes and procedures to ensure that this situation is never repeated."
But seven months later, Macdonald did it again. In a Dec. 6 report about the deadly al-Qaeda attack on the American consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Macdonald apparently went out of his way to find someone who would blame the U.S. relationship with Israel for the attack. He found a willing partner in Allen Keiswetter -- the only person interviewed in Macdonald's entire report.
Macdonald: "But some experts say other American policies provoke violence too. Allen Keiswetter has advised the administration here on foreign policy."
Keiswetter: "I think the principal reason [for violence against America] is our policies on the Arab-Israeli issues. This is extremely important. We're now regarded as being very much in the pockets of [Israeli Prime Minister] Sharon. And the second reason of course is Iraq."
Defending the report, CBC's director of programming for English television news contended that "Mr. Keiswetter was fully contexted in the piece. We explained who he is and where his expertise comes from."
But the CBC's "context" -- that Keiswetter works for the Middle East Institute and "has advised the administration here on foreign policy" -- does not inform viewers that the Middle East Institute's biggest financial supporters include Saudi corporations and a handful of oil companies with major Saudi interests. More importantly, CBC hasn't explained why a Canadian reporter in Washington, covering an attack in Saudi Arabia, would conclude his report with the image of America "in the pockets of Sharon."
There is more. Commenting on the CBC Web site on Dec. 3, Macdonald offered his analysis of a UN reform committee's proposal to declare that "there is nothing in the fact of [Israel's] occupation [of the West Bank and Gaza] that justifies the targeting and killing of civilians." While this seems like a reasonable proposition, Macdonald felt it important to point out that "Israeli soldiers who enforce the occupation kill a great many Palestinian civilians. If Palestinians have committed terror, the Israelis have certainly committed war crimes."
Macdonald then made the bizarre assertion that "there is also the question of whether the Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza, thousands of whom are well armed and overtly bellicose, constitute civilians or combatants." Mr. Macdonald appears to be suggesting that the killing of Israeli settlers may not be "terrorism." One wonders if Macdonald includes in this category settler children, many of whom have been killed by Palestinians in the past four years.
What is clear by now is that Macdonald, wherever he is posted, will continue to denigrate Israel using handpicked "experts" whose opinions corroborate his own. If CBC news executives are interested in maintaining the national broadcaster's credibility, they will recognize that Macdonald's reporting is no longer consistent with their mandate of pursuing accuracy and fairness. It is time for him to go.
This article originally appeared in the National Post.
(17) John, January 9, 2011 3:21 AM
Neil has no clue
Just heard his report on the the shooting of the Arizona concgress woman. He stated that right wing tea partiers attended obama rallies toting guns and that gun sales increased dramatically in response to obama being elected president. WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS. They were attendng TEA PARTY rallies not obama rallies. In support of the second ammendment and to demonstrate against the lie that one cannot legally carry guns with a conceal permit. The spike in sales was for ammo not guns and that was in response to congress threatining to tax ammo beyond affordability. The quote I believe was people can have their guns you will not have the ammo.
(16) Darrell, June 10, 2010 6:31 PM
> In 2000, he referred to "the ferocious appetite of Jewish settlers for Arab land."... Maybe if Jewish settlers weren't settling on Arab land, people wouldn't keep pointing out that they are.
(15) Anonymous, June 6, 2010 6:15 PM
CBC Bias - you bet
Watching the news on the flotillla massacre I am amazed at the CBC bias. However the bias is against the Palestinian cause. Two pretend that there are two sides somewhat equally to blame for this horrendous act is incredible.
(14) Graham Corke, December 9, 2008 9:31 AM
Right On -
Neil MacDonald has an obvious bias, I always never eat for at least one hour before he may be on.The bias is often so obvious and sickening. My father was a WW II vet on Eisenhower's SHAFE staff. Mr. MacDonald needs to seen what my father saw - Maybe that would make him a better person
(13) greg, February 10, 2005 12:00 AM
report unbias
News should be reported from as much as possible a non-bias attitude--Is this possible with human beings? I would want to be bias toward Israel>>> But I would tried to report the facts as best as my mind would let me without imputing my personal feelings: If a reporter cannot do that maybe that should quit and spare us all
(12) Julius, January 3, 2005 12:00 AM
The CBC is not better than neil macdonald as long as they keep him working for the cbc,they are as guilty as he is also, the higher ranking officers at cbc are the same as him otherwise they would have booted him out already.
(11) Jack MacLeod, December 30, 2004 12:00 AM
Indeed it is time for him to go, along with the arrogant and biased news "management team" at the CBC, whose motivated, inaccurate and outright
lies about Israel and the IDF have caused this 75 year old Canadian who grew up with the CBC, to opt out of CBC Television News and CBC Radio One -
It is time in any event for the CBC mandate to be refocused as a truly Public Broadcaster, like MPBN Maine USA - outstanding radio and television, with some of the best news reports on the Globe. What the mandarins at CBC fail to recognize or consider that lack of political support, generated by a fed up and angry public can put the bastards out of business. After all, the CBC has an audience of less than 8 percent of the Canadian public, and CBC Quebec envisages a "free" Quebec, separate from Canada and reality.
(10) michael chikaodili, December 28, 2004 12:00 AM
a voice of hatred
It's no news when a mortar is fired into Israel killing both soldiers and civillians but each time some military action is taken to prevent these unrepentant terrorists from further killing of innoccent people then the world is made to think of genocide by the likes of Neil Mcdonald.Ever since 1948 the mordern state of Israel has in all clashes with its Arab neighbors acted in self defence.It will be in the interest of peace for the likes of Niel Mcdonald wherever they may be to give balanced reports of clashes between the IDF and the Arab terrorist groups whose only aim is to kill Jews wherever they're found.Condeming the actions of terrorists when you know who arm and train them and yet cannot expel them from your midst is double standard on the part of the PA in the peace process.
There is no sincerity on the part of the PA because every compromise made by Israel incraeses her vulnerability to terror attacks.Therefore any action taken by Israel to stop Hiztbollah,Hamas,Islamic Jihad or any such group from further killing of innoccent men,women and children cannot be faulted.There should be no hiding place any more for all who delight in attacking and killing Jews.
(9) Jeanne, December 28, 2004 12:00 AM
STOP PICKING ON ISRAEL
I fully agree that the press/media has repeatedly shown Israel in a bad light. Please do all you can to stop the bias and give the truth to the listening or reading audience.
(8) Keith Stainton, December 28, 2004 12:00 AM
What is this?
I ended up here after reading Nonie Darwish's story which someone sent me. I'm unfortunate enough to have friends on both sides of the Middle East conflict. My thoughts after reading this piece on Macdonald is that this site and the views expressed here are part of the problem with my world, and not part of the solution.
I leave you to your efforts in this war of hate and misunderstanding. I'll be fighting on the other side, and by that I do not mean the arab side, but the side of those who seek peace, tolerance and justice.
(7) Jacob Mandelblum, December 27, 2004 12:00 AM
McDonald's Israel Bias........
Irrational as judeophobia is and false of all falsehood his diatribes are, lets
remember good old Dr Goebbels. I'm sure there are legions of ignorants and bigots considering CBC the gospel, same as gthe millions swearing over The New York Times.
And I wonder: Could McDonald have some skeleton(s) in his closet that would allow to make him of an offer he couldn't refuse ??
Loftus and Aarons in their "The Secret War Against The Jews" tell the way Nelson Rockefeller was "convinced" to pull his strings in order to get the banana republics votes he controlled at the UN to agree to Israel's creation...
Otherwise, he will still be spewing liea and hate and I don't believe that, unless something real ugly happens, his bosses will get rid of him.
The Arab lobby is much too powerful !!!
(6) Dennis Skigen, December 27, 2004 12:00 AM
Macdonald needs a counterpoint
These unchecked remarks underscore the need for another spectrum of voices regarding the full story in Israel. As a member of the emerging Blue & White Network, I urge more people to speak out loud and clear until a trusted, independent channel hits the air.
Dennis Skigen
EVP, Blue & White Network
(5) bonita henderson, December 27, 2004 12:00 AM
eye-opener article
I guess I needed to read Dov Smith's article. A friend had just returned from Canada, a short skiing trip. He is a liberal and Catholic. He said the news media in Canada is so anti-American and bigoted that it made him sick to his stomach. He was disgusted and plans to never return to Canada. I suppose he would have no reason to notice anti-Israeli bias, and yet, he certainly did.
(4) Dale Albertson, December 27, 2004 12:00 AM
Neil Macdonald the voice of Al-Queda west
Your article is so true Mr. Smith. We here in the North country of the US have received CBC broadcasts in the past, and now do not (changed the antenna position). Mr. Macdonald has always been an active supporter of the Islamic terror organization, and Canada harbours many within her borders. With our open relations with the north country, we should fear the enemy from the north, as well as the enemy from within. I disfavor censure of such a one, rather we should all support an active legal effort to sue the pants off of him and his employers every time he makes anti-semitic comments. Hit em in the ole pocket-book.
(3) Anonymous, December 26, 2004 12:00 AM
How can we help get rid of Macdonald?
What can we as Americans do to help get rid of blatant anti-Israel reporting?
(2) Marion Williams, December 26, 2004 12:00 AM
The CBC and Israel reporting
At last someone is speaking out about CBC reporting of events in Israel. Every news report concerning terrorism in that country begins with an account of an Israeli raid into Palestinian territory or a similar incursion, giving minute details. Then the report ends with a one-liner stating the Israeli action was taken in response to a Palestinian attack on Israelis. To an undiscerning listener, hearing this type of reporting on a daily basis,the only conclusion to be drawn is that terror attacks in Israel are of minor consequence or concern compared to the fate of the Palestinians. While I am a devotee of the CBC, I find this bias uncceptable.
(1) Debra Monasch, December 26, 2004 12:00 AM
How To Contact CBS?
I would like to do whatever I can to silence bias. Is there a website or telephone number you can recommend so that our voices can be heard..so that we can demand the truth...so that lies are not broadcast?