Nigel Kennedy (photo: Chris Christodoulou/BBC)
The BBC has confirmed that it will censor a statement made by violinist Nigel Kennedy from its television broadcast of his performance with the Palestine Strings at a prestigious music festival last week. In his statement at the Proms, Mr. Kennedy used the word “apartheid” to describe the world in which his Palestinian colleagues live.
Click here for a recording of the actual statement the BBC is excising from its broadcast[1]. The following is a transcript:
“It’s a bit facile to say it, but we all know from the experience of this night of music, that giving equality and getting rid of apartheid gives a beautiful chance for amazing things to happen.”
According to The Jewish Chronicle[2], former BBC governor Baroness Deech called for an apology from Mr. Kennedy and said that “the remark was offensive and untrue. There is no apartheid in Israel.” Not only is there no apartheid in Israel, she claimed, but nor is there any in Gaza or the West Bank. (She made no mention of East Jerusalem.)
In fact, nearly all aspects of Apartheid, as defined by the UN, apply to Israel in all four of its guises: domestically, its military occupation of the West Bank, its military ‘annexation’ of East Jerusalem, and its siege of Gaza.
This legal definition includes [3]:
• Any measures including legislative measures, designed to divide the population along racial lines by the creation of separate reserves and ghettos for the members of a racial group or groups, the prohibition of mixed marriages among members of various racial groups, the expropriation of landed property belonging to a racial group or groups or to members thereof;
• Any legislative measures and other measures calculated to prevent a racial group or groups from participation in the political, social, economic and cultural life of the country and the deliberate creation of conditions preventing the full development of such a group or groups, in particular by denying to members of a racial group or groups basic human rights and freedoms, including the right to work, the right to form recognised trade unions, the right to education, the right to leave and to return to their country, the right to a nationality, the right to freedom of movement and residence, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association;
• Denial to a member or members of a racial group or groups of the right to life and liberty of person;
• The infringement of their freedom or dignity, or by subjecting them to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
• Arbitrary arrest and illegal imprisonment of the members of a racial group or groups;
• Deliberate imposition on a racial group or groups of living conditions calculated to cause its or their physical destruction in whole or in part;
• Inhumane acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them.
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1. The volume of Mr. Kennedy’s voice has been raised slightly for clarity.
2. Marcus Dysch, “BBC to cut Kennedy slur from Proms broadcast“, The Jerusalem Chronicle Online, August 16, 2013.
3. Source: UN, International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. Bold emphasis added.
Ruth Deech, Zionist Jew, censoring comments critical of Israel for the benefit of Israel.
Beautiful, Nigel.
In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. ~ Anne Frank
The BBC has been inundated with the usual zio apparatchiks’ abuse and, like nearly all mainstream organisations, has folded under pressure. They know it works, that is why they do it. But the point is, Kennedy said it, the Palestinians performed beautifully, and nothing will erase what was said, or the general support and sympathy of the audience. Simply by being there, and performing, is a victory for Palestine, in the face of the appalling coercion of the Israeli junta. Baroness Deech is an appeaser and liar. Kennedy was there and saw for himself the conditions and came to his own conclusions, whereas Deech who has probably never witnessed the full ugliness of West Bank apartheid and has no idea what she is talking about, is a mouthpiece for the lobby and spouts the usual inane nonsense, which will appease them and convince nobody else. Another example of their fear of free speech and thought.
Get Nigel Kennedy on that BLOG with Jimmy Carter, Alice Walker, Norman F, etc. We need that everyone Googling any of these people find them all — they are good company ! — and find there the stories of censorship, denial of free speech, application of bigg-buxx to keep the anti-Zionist message quiet, etc.
Maybe pay Google to make it an “ad” so it appears high on the lists for these people.
This was to be expected. Unfortunately the tentacles reach far and wide! But I have a feeling Nigel kennedy has too much integrity and character (and ‘chutzpah!!!) to take this sitting down. Daniel Barenboim has said as much at the Proms with his “East West Divan Orchestra”. I don’t remember any similar’ brouhaha’ from the Zionist camp in UK. I don’t remember if he actually used the “A” word, but pretty much spoke out at length during the concert(s).