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MONSTROUS! That's how Zionist Federation president Professor Eric Moonman described a High Court ruling blocking publication of a report critical of the BBC.
The ruling came at the end of a three-year battle for the suppression of the 2004 Balen Report on media bias.
The Balen Report itself was the BBC's response to criticism of its reporting of the second Intifada by Jewish solicitor Trevor Asserson in three BBC Watch reports.
The Balen Report, which focused on reporting in the Middle East, led to greater BBC resources being devoted to the area, including the appointment of Jeremy Bowen as regional editor.
But the Balen Report was never made public. Six months after its publication, London Jewish solicitor Steven Sugar requested access to the report. This was denied.
This week, Mr Sugar told the Jewish Telegraph: "The BBC declined to engage with their critics who had provided very considerable criticism of a detailed nature.
"Instead it instructed an internal report which led to changes, clearly recognising that its reporting of the second Intifada had deficiencies."
Mr Sugar then engaged in a lengthy legal battle for the publication of the Balen Report.
Last August, the Information Tribunal upheld Mr Sugar's request. But the BBC appealed against that decision, which was overturned last week at the High Court.
However, for Mr Sugar, this is not the end of the road and he is considered taking the matter to the Court of Appeal.
He said: "It is a technical win by the BBC which has the result of weighting the Freedom of Information Act in favour of the BBC and against the citizen.
"I hope that the Information Commissioner or the Department of Constitutional Affairs will take the point to the Court of Appeal."
Mr Sugar has also protested to BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons.
Prof Moonman said: "It is a monstrous situation that the judiciary is in a rarefied world away from the problems with which we have to deal. I am concerned about reporting bias."
A lecturer at London's City University, Prof Moonman warned of action by university departments of journalism over the matter.
HonestReporting managing editor Simon Plosker said: "The outcome of this case is extremely disappointing.
"If the BBC has nothing to hide, as it claims, then why has it gone to so much effort and expense to prevent the licence fee-paying public from knowing what's in the report?
"The BBC has a serious problem with its slanted coverage of Israel."
Manchester Zionist Central Council president Lucille Cohen said: "It seems the public is to be denied access to the Balen Report through a technicality.
"It begs the question of why the BBC should be so keen to keep it under wraps."
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