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BBC reporters accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias in Palestine coverage

Letter to BBC urges fair reporting to better reflect evidence from impartial organisations and treat all civilians equally in news coverage.

AFP

Police officers stand by as workmen clean off red paint from the windows at the entrance to the BBC building in central London on October 14, 2023. / Photo: AFP

The BBC reporters based in the UK have criticised the broadcaster for its "pro-Israel bias and insufficient coverage of Palestinian civilians compared to Israelis in their broadcasts on the Israel-Palestine issue," Al Jazeera reported.

"The BBC failed to critically approach Israel's claims, couldn't tell the story accurately, and therefore couldn't help the public understand human rights violations in Gaza," said a letter written to Al Jazeera by eight BBC employees on Thursday.

In the letter, the reporters accused the BBC of showing a biased stance in favour of Israel.

They alleged that while the BBC demonstrated a "bold" approach in reporting on the alleged war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, it applied a "double standard" in how civilians are perceived in the Israel-Palestine issue.

It also questioned when the number of Palestinians killed since Israel's war on Gaza began on October 7 would be high enough to prompt a change in the editorial stance.

In the letter, the BBC reporters said the organisation uses terms like "massacre" and "brutality" only for Hamas, portraying the Palestinian group as the sole provocateur and perpetrator of violence in the region.

Calling for equal coverage of civilians

The letter called for the BBC to better reflect evidence-based findings from official and impartial humanitarian organisations and to give equal treatment to all civilians in its news coverage.

The BBC employees also called on the broadcaster to ensure that coverage treating all civilians equally is at the centre of its news and expressed concern that humanitarian broadcasts on Palestinian civilians were lacking while giving extensive coverage to Israelis who lost their lives in attacks.

The letter also pointed out that the BBC did not provide significant information to its viewers about the history of Israel's occupation and the suffering of Palestinians.

A BBC spokesman responded to the claims, saying, "Throughout our coverage of the conflict, the BBC has clearly highlighted the devastating human cost for civilians in Gaza and Israel."

The spokesman also sent examples from the BBC's war-related broadcasts and a list of human interest stories about the suffering of Palestinians.