Or should I say, "error."

The BBC is not known for acknowledging errors or bias, especially when it comes to Middle East reporting, so at first one might be pleasantly surprised to read that the BBC has acknowledged, and corrected, an error. But then one reads what the "error" was:

The BBC apologized this week for referring to Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and promised not to repeat "the mistake," following a complaint by four British organizations.

Arab Media Watch, Muslim Public Affairs Committee, Friends of Al-Aksa and the Institute of Islamic Political Thought sent a joint complaint to the BBC after a presenter on its Football Focus program on March 24 mentioned that Jerusalem was Israel's capital and "historic soul."

The BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit posted a response on its Web site: "The reference was a passing one in a context where the focus was on sport, not politics. While recognizing the sensitivity of the issue of the status of Jerusalem, the ECU took the view that the program-makers had taken sufficient action by acknowledging the error and rectifying the Web site."

Of course, Jerusalem is in fact Israel's capital, and, while one can't verify a "historic soul," I don't see any objective "error" in referring to it as such.

Ironically, this apology came just as a report commissioned by the BBC slammed it for its left-wing bias.

Thanks to Honest Reporting for the pointers.

UPDATE: I'm waiting with bated breath for the BBC to apologize for referring to Belfast as Northern Ireland's capital. What about sensitivity to Irish Republicans?

FURTHER UPDATE: The original context of the remark was that a British and Israeli football team were about to face off. In a segment, Israel in Focus, the announcer said, "While Tel Aviv is the country's youthful beating heart, Jerusalem the capital is its historic soul."