Home World Urgent calls for new BBC bias probe into 'Hamas-supporting' journalists

Urgent calls for new BBC bias probe into 'Hamas-supporting' journalists


MPs have demanded an inquiry amid accusations of alleged bias in a BBC report about the Hamas-Israel war.

The allegations come after the broadcaster aired reports of alleged torture and abuse by Israeli forces at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on March 12.

Claims against six of the eight medics interviewed for the BBC report have emerged since it first aired.

The Mail on Sunday says the half dozen doctors have spouted anti-Semitic slurs on social media, prompting calls from some MPs for a probe into the BBC, which has defended its reporting.

One post not seen by Express.co.uk but included in the Mail on Sunday’s story and attributed to Dr Amira Al-Assouli says: “O Lord, turn every Palestinian missile into a Zionist casualty, and turn every casualty into a thousand families that leave our homeland.”

Dr Al-Assouli’s account of being targeted by Israeli forces featured prominently in the BBC report.

The broadcaster had reported staff at Nasser Hospital were blindfolded, forced to strip, and repeatedly beaten by soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces, which denies medical staff were harmed in its operation.

Another doctor who featured in the report, Hatem Raba, commented on Facebook: “May Allah guide the missiles of Palestine’s mujahideen.”

The social media posts were unearthed by antisemitism researcher David Collier and investigated by the Arabic department of media monitoring group, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.

As with many news organisations, the BBC relies largely on Arabic journalists on the ground in Gaza. Testimony and footage used in the Nasser hospital report were scrutinised by BBC Verify.

The Mail revealed last week that two journalists who contributed to the report, Soha Ibrahim and Marie-Jose Al Azzi, had “liked” social media posts celebrating attacks on Israel.

A BBC spokesman told the Mail on Sunday: “We stand by our journalism. Those who have read our story will know the BBC has been transparent in telling audiences where and how information is corroborated and attributed, and where this has not been possible.

“We have provided multiple first-hand accounts, named independent sources, shared visual evidence and included rights of reply throughout, working to the highest standards of journalism.”

But politicians have called for an investigation into the BBC’s reporting.

Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers, told the Mail it is shocking Britain’s national broadcaster is seemingly basing its reports on the accounts of people who have praised terrorist violence against innocent Israeli citizens.

Lord Pickles, special envoy for Post-Holocaust issues, told the same publication: “There seems to be a complete failure of due diligence.”

He added that over the decades people have relied on the BBC to be fair and impartial but claimed the last few weeks have shown the BBC’s greatness is in its past and it’s falling way short of expected standards.

The Tory peer said: “We now need to know how the once great BBC is being led by its nose by Hamas.”

Lord Pickles, special envoy for Post-Holocaust issues, said: ‘There seems to be a complete failure of due diligence.

Jewish Tory MP Andrew Percy told the Mail: “The BBC seemingly doesn’t seem to care that it keeps casually giving airtime to people who openly support the murder and assault of innocent civilians through terrorism.”

Express.co.uk has approached the BBC for comment.

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