Over 100 BBC employees have accused the UK's national broadcaster of exhibiting pro-Israel bias in its coverage.
More than 100 BBC staff accuse the broadcaster of bias in its coverage of Israel's war in Gaza, stating that "Israel must be held accountable for its actions" and warning that failing to do so dehumanizes Palestinians
More than 100 BBC staff members have accused the broadcaster of favoring Israel in its coverage of the Gaza conflict and criticized it for lacking "accurate, evidence-based journalism." In a letter sent to Director-General Tim Davie and CEO Deborah Turness on Friday, staff argued that essential journalistic standards have been missing in holding Israel accountable for its actions. The letter, initially reported by *The Independent*, was signed by over 100 anonymous BBC employees and more than 200 others from the media industry, along with historians, actors, academics, and politicians.
The letter emphasized the impact of insufficient coverage, stating, “Every television report, article, and radio interview that has failed to robustly challenge Israeli claims has systematically dehumanized Palestinians.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in at least 43,259 Palestinian deaths and 101,827 injuries. During Hamas-led attacks on Israel on that same day, 1,139 people were killed, and over 200 were taken captive.
The signatories urged the BBC to commit to specific editorial practices, including clearly noting Israel’s restrictions on external journalists' access to Gaza, indicating when evidence is lacking to support Israeli claims, identifying Israel as the perpetrator in relevant headlines, providing historical context from before October 2023, and rigorously challenging Israeli government and military officials in all interviews.
