The Prime Minister’s Office launched a campaign last week to get the BBC to
recognize that Israel too, like all other countries participating in the
Olympics, actually has a capital.
The effort began last Thursday when
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s spokesman Mark Regev wrote a letter to the
director of the BBC’s bureau in Israel, Paul Danahar, complaining that in its
website listing of countries participating in the upcoming Olympics, Israel is
included but – unlike all other countries in the world – there is no listing of
a capital.
To add insult to injury, Palestine appeared on the site with
its capital listed as “East Jerusalem.”
“I am dismayed by the BBC’s
decision to discriminate against Israel on the BBC’s Olympic website,” Regev
wrote.“Every country (and non-country) participating in the London 2012 games
has been given a page on your website with background information about the
country, including mention of the capital city. Every country (and non-country),
except Israel.”
“Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, and
accordingly we respectfully request the immediate rectification of this matter,”
he added.
Following the letter, the BBC did make some changes.
In
the newest edition of the Israel entry, Jerusalem is entered as the “seat of
government,” with the proviso that “most foreign embassies are in Tel
Aviv.”
The “Palestine” entry was also altered and now reads that “East
Jerusalem” is the “intended seat of government.”
Ramallah, the entry
read, “serves as administrative capital.” Palestine, according to the site, “is
recognized as a competing [Olympic] country by the IOC [International Olympic
Committee] but is not recognized as a modern state.”
This change was not
satisfactory for Jerusalem. Regev, in a follow-up letter, made clear that for
Israel “seat of government” was not acceptable, and he would appreciate if
“Israel’s capital be identified accurately on your website.”
Regev was
notified that this was the BBC’s policy, and that there would be no further
changes. He said that the government would continue to pursue the matter
further.