Who cares whether it's true?

OK, so here's the back story:

The BBC apologised after a speaker on Radio 4's Thought for the Day told of meeting a Muslim conscripted into the Israeli army and jailed for refusing to shoot Palestinian schoolchildren.

The BBC said it had been "unable to find any evidence to support the story" told by Rev Dr John Bell of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian group based in Scotland. He told listeners he had met the "19-year-old former corporal" two years ago. He said the man was an Israeli-born Arab of "Palestinian Muslim stock" who had saved many lives by killing a suicide bus bomber.
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Dr Bell said his story contained factual errors and acknowledged that "at a time when Jewish sensitivity in Britain is running high because of anti-Semitism, that part of my remarks might have been interpreted as furtive racism".

A regular contributor to Thought For The Day, Dr Bell said such a conjecture would be "completely untrue" and apologised unreservedly for any offence caused.

And from one Sandy Gemmill, a deputy treasurer for the Church of Scotland, what it produces is this:

Many of the stories that I hear from pulpits are uncorroborated tales. In streets and homes across the land one can hear of the exploits of various apocryphal members of the public.

It is therefore surprising that the BBC and the Rev John Bell should apologise for having broadcast such an item on the radio.

Two thousand years ago there was a man in Israel who used such uncorroborated tales of Samaritans, servants, agricultural workers, sheep, weddings and the like to illustrate various controversial points. Clearly the passage of time has not dampened the enthusiasm of the Israeli authorities to speak out against such tales and take action to suppress apparent lies.
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The Israeli government is no different from those in authority in, for example, Great Britain and the United States. Governments are like monoliths in exercising power on behalf of the people and from time to time must be reminded of the need to see beyond their own self-centred interests to those of the human race. If an uncorroborated story concerning any member of the Israeli Army, real or imaginary, can aid that process then that should be applauded.

Yes, Mr Gemmill's is only one voice, and if his letter is anything to go by, it's not backed by too formidable an intelligence. But isn't it funny how week on week, with never an exception, there is now something of this general nature out there? Still, not to jump to any too hasty conclusions, what?