And just like that, last summer’s controversy over the mixed motives of Arab stringers takes on a repulsive yet exciting new dimension. What’s next? Hizb ut-Tahrir members working for the Guardian?

Despite Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) opposition and per the request of the BBC, the coordinator of government activities allowed a Hamas member who works for the BBC to enter the Gaza Strip last week to assist in efforts to release kidnapped journalist Alan Johnston.

Defense officials told The Jerusalem Post that a week ago, a request came from the BBC asking that a Palestinian employee of the news company who is believed to be a close associate of senior Hamas officials be allowed to enter Gaza.

And to think, I thought the biggest absurdity of the Alan Johnston kidnapping would be Hamas playing the role of hostage negotiator. Exit question one: Why would an infamously left-wing news organization employ members of a genocidal religious fascist group? Hmmm. Exit question two: I guess this solves this mystery, eh? Exit question three: Why on earth would the Beeb go to the trouble of hiring Hamas when it can hire useful western idiots to do the same job?