LONDON, England - The BBC has refused to issue a major reason for the British charity aid to Gaza, saying that the announcement of engagement of the public broadcasting of the appearance of impartiality.
The Disasters Emergency Committee, which includes the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children and 10 other charities, plans to launch its call Monday.
British broadcasters, led by the BBC, which originally declined to air the ad - but in light of criticism from government ministers and others, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 has changed his mind.
Nearly 5000 people demonstrated in front of the BBC Broadcasting House in central London on Saturday by the broadcaster's position. Seven people were arrested.
The BBC is standing by its decision, the director general Mark Thompson wrote in a blog post on the website of the company.
"We concluded that they could not issue a separate appeal, no matter how carefully, without the risk of reducing public confidence in the impartiality of the BBC in its wider coverage of history," he wrote on Saturday.
"It is an inevitable appeal to use images that are similar to those used in our news programs, but would do so in order to encourage public donations. The danger for the BBC is that this could be interpreted as having a position on a political story, "said Thompson.
"Gaza remains an important ongoing news, where humanitarian issues - the suffering and distress of civilians and fighters on both sides of the conflict, the debate about who is responsible for cause, and what should be done about it - are both in the heart of the history and controversy, "he added.
The BBC, which is funded by a compulsory license fee paid by all British households with TV, is required by its charter to be impartial. Does not broadcast commercial advertising for nonprofit, but it appeals.
The DEC is "disappointed that the BBC had refused to support the call of Gaza," said the spokesman. "It could limit the scope of our key message to the general public."
The spokesman, who asked not to be named, told the BBC he had to make their own decisions about fairness.
"That is a decision to do. We have no opinion on this issue," he said.
Many readers of the blog Thompson had a view, however. The statement has hundreds of comments, most of them critical of the BBC.
One commentator who signed as a "bully - baiter" said the BBC is taking a side, no matter what he did.
"I'm sorry Mr. Thompson, but you can not have both. If the decision to accede to the request would be seen as political DEC after deciding not to join it is also political. I did not insult your false attempt to suggest that is another way, "wrote commentator.
Other commentators simply rejected the position of the hands of Thompson.
"I think the reasons for blocking aid to a serious humanitarian disaster are simply astonishing," "brit - proud," he wrote. "How can just bring food, medicine and home to hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians must be regarded as the political impartiality? How stupid do the BBC think the British public?"
But society also has its defenders.
"The last thing I want to do is to fund the BBC to broadcast propaganda, SternG" wrote: "There is no way I will pay to air the BBC for political reasons DEC 'action' in Gaza. Gaza is run by a government which is recognized internationally as a terrorist group, including the EU. There is no doubt that some aid / fund will be "bought" by Hamas .... Good decision BBC. "
British broadcasters have refused to air some DEC previous appeals, the spokesman said.
An appeal in 2006 to aid victims of the war in Lebanon was scrapped because "there is a real concern, shared by aid agencies on the delivery of aid."
DEC Thompson cited doubts about whether members can get help to Gaza as a second reason for refusing to take the ad.