Future TV accused of election bias

The Beirut-based Future Television has been accused by the Israeli media of electioneering and intervening in promoting one Arab candidate over the another.

"Arab candidates for the 16th Knesset are claiming that Syria and Lebanon are interfering in the elections and are engaged in a propaganda drive for National Democratic Alliance (Balad) leader Azmi Bishara," wrote Yair Ettinger in the leftist Haaretz daily newspaper on the weekend.

Ettinger claimed that Future Television, which is owned by Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, "has been running interviews highly sympathetic with Bishara," while blacking out other Arab candidates such as MKs Ahmed Tibi and Mohammed Barakeh.

He claimed that this blackout is based on Syrian orders since Tibi and Barakeh earlier opposed the imprisonment of Syrian intellectuals in Damascus.

But Zahi Wehbi, the host of Future Television's weekly popular programme Khalleek bil Bayt (Stay at Home) who interviewed Bishara for two hours in Amman last Tuesday, denied such accusations saying "we are with all Arab candidates and not with one against another."

Wehbi told Gulf News in an interview that the TV station has been broadcasting calls for the Arab electorate to vote for Arab candidates to the Knesset only.

"I recorded these broadcasts. In them, I do not call on Arabs not to elect Tibi and Barakeh. On the contrary, I urge them to elect all Arab candidates. In them I say to Arabs in Palestine: Vote for yourselves," he argued.

According to Wehbi, it happened that "we have good and personal relations with Bishara so we hosted him. He added that he and Bishara agree on "national and Arab issues."

Wehbi added that in the future, if it happens that we come into contact with other Arab lawmakers, "then of course we will interview them." He ridiculed reports about political pressure from Lebanese or Syrian authorities.

Wehbi also denied Haaretz claims that "producers of the special two-hour broadcast prevented viewers asking Bishara "difficult questions." He said: "I asked Bishara about changing his stances during his meeting with the Israeli Supreme Court which approved his candidacy and other tough questions."

Several viewers responded to Gulf News by saying that Wehbi was not easy on Bishara while in more than one instance, Bishara refused to pick up an electioneering discourse after invitations from calling viewers to do so.

"One of the viewers called during the interview and asked Bishara about his opinion whether Arabs should join the Israeli army if they want equality," a viewer said. "And Bishara frankly said no they should not and that conscription has nothing to do with equality and democracy," she added.

Meanwhile, Wehbi said that the Future Television supports the "Arab National stance inside Palestine," and that "we are neither currently part of nor we intend to become part of the Arab parties" rivalry inside Palestine."