The bias of the BBC against Israel had been very well-documented for some time. Their Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen has long since gave up any pretence of neutrality in his coverage. I actually heard him speak at a literary event a few years ago and I’ll never forget how each time he said the word ‘Palestinian’ his eyes glazed over wistfully, and each time he said ‘Israel’ he spat it out. And who can forget BBC reporter Barbara Platt who cried on air when murdering terrorist Yasser Arafat died?

However, this video of Newsnight reporter Gavin Esler interviewing Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev is astonishing. Esler is absolutely incredulous when Regev points out that Hamas routinely kills its own people. “Oh you’re not serious that Hamas is killing Palestinian children, are you?” asks Esler.

How could Gavin Esler have achieved such a senior post in news broadcasting and yet be so hopelessly naïve of the well-documented tactics of Hamas?

Still, thank goodness for Mark Regev, who has been a wonderful ambassador during this conflict. Benjamin Netanyahu, too, has been a star. My favourite ‘Bibi’ moment came when he was interviewed on the BBC during the 2006 Hezbollah conflict and made mince meat of his quizzer:

Interviewer: “How come so many more Lebanese have been killed in this conflict than Israelis?”

Netanyahu: “Are you sure that you want to start asking in that direction?”

Interviewer: “Why not?”

Netanyahu: “Because in World War II more Germans were killed than British and Americans combined, but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the war was caused by Germany’s aggression. And in response to the German blitz on London, the British wiped out the entire city of Dresden, burning to death more German civilians than the number of people killed in Hiroshima.

“Moreover, I could remind you that in 1944, when the RAF tried to bomb the Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen, some of the bombs missed their target and fell on a Danish children’s hospital, killing 83 little children.

“Perhaps you have another question?”

Perhaps indeed! And perhaps Gavin Esler should find some time for some rudimentary research before spouting off at Mark Regev.