A number of BBC journalists have accused the British broadcaster of biased coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has caused some to “cry” in bathrooms and take time off due to the distress, The Times newspaper reported.
In a meeting with senior editors, the journalists accused the BBC of being too lenient on Israel and dehumanizing Palestinian civilians. An email criticizing the BBC’s policy of prioritizing Israeli lives over Palestinian lives was sent to Director-General Tim Davie.
In response to the journalists’ concerns, the BBC has held meetings with staff from Jewish, Palestinian, and Arab communities. However, some are questioning whether the broadcaster can address these issues effectively.
While acknowledging the monstrosity of Hamas’s attacks on civilians, BBC staff have asserted that the coverage is not balanced and fails to adequately highlight the horror also of Israeli actions.
BBC correspondent Rami Ruhayem, based in Beirut, expressed grave concerns about the coverage. He questioned the BBC’s use of words like “massacre,” “slaughter,” and “atrocities” when referring to Hamas actions but not when referring to Israel’s killing of civilians. Ruhayem suggested the BBC’s complicity in incitement, dehumanization, and war propaganda.
The BBC has faced criticism from Israeli politicians for not using the term “terrorist” to describe Hamas, while pro-Palestinian groups have found fault with the broadcaster’s coverage of Gaza.
Last week, the BBC launched investigations into journalists working for its Arabic service in the Middle East for social media posts that allegedly justified the killing of Israeli civilians by Hamas. The newspaper also faced criticism for misrepresenting demonstrations that were initially described as “backing Hamas.”
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 8,400 people killed, including more than 7,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and 1,400 Israelis. The people of Gaza are facing severe shortages of essential supplies, including food, water, medicine, and fuel, with aid convoys providing only a fraction of what is needed.