BBC is under scrutiny after several of its journalists accused it of being biased towards Israel’s narrative amid the country’s continued targeting of civilians in Gaza.
Eight UK-based BBC journalists wrote a lengthy letter to Al Jazeera, in which they accused the state-funded broadcaster of adopting a “double standard” approach while doubling efforts to humanize Israeli victims compared to the murdered Palestinians.
“The BBC has failed to accurately tell this story – through omission and lack of critical engagement with Israel’s claims – and it has therefore failed to help the public engage with and understand the human rights abuses unfolding in Gaza,” Al Jazeera quoted the letter as saying.
The journalists pointed to the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 7, questioning whether the British broadcaster will change its stance towards the Palestinian cause.
“When will the number be high enough for our editorial stance to change?” the letter added.
This is not the first time for BBC journalists to slam the organization’s coverage of Israeli aggression targeting civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Tunisian journalist Bassen Bouenni resigned from the BBC in October, citing his professional conscience as the reason for his departure.
In October, the Guardian reported that the broadcaster received 1,500 complaints over coverage of the ongoing Israeli onslaught. The news outlet added that complaints split evenly between those saying that BBC reporting has been biased against Israel and those who said the contrary.
BBC responded to the complaints, saying: “We understand that this is an extremely worrying time for people not only in the region, but also in the UK and around the world, and we have reflected this in our coverage.”
Israeli aggression and its murderous campaigns targeting civilians have continued for nearly two months, claiming the lives of more than 14,000 Palestinians among them thousands of children.
