UK police investigate controversial BBC documentary on Gaza
The broadcast sparked a police review following numerous complaints that the documentary war marred by non-compliance with editorial standards
The British anti-terrorism police are currently examining complaints about a BBC documentary on Gaza that featured the son of a Hamas leader, raising concerns about the public broadcaster's editorial standards, reports the PA Media news agency.
A spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police cited in the report confirmed that the case is under evaluation. Police are "currently assessing whether any police action is required in relation to this matter."
The BBC acknowledged on Thursday that there were "serious flaws" in the program. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer subsequently stated that he was "concerned" about this documentary. On Friday, the UK Secretary of Culture Lisa Nandy met with the head of the BBC, Dr. Samir Shah, stating that she expected "no stone to be left unturned" in the BBC's review of the documentary.
The BBC has been repeatedly criticized for its blatant anti-Israel bias in its reporting. These criticisms have intensified since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. In November 2023, the network issued apologies after falsely claiming that Israeli troops were targeting medical teams during the fighting at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Prior to this, the BBC had falsely accused Israel of being responsible for an explosion in a Gaza hospital, which the IDF proved to have been caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket.
In August, over 200 personalities from the British television and film industry called for an urgent investigation into allegations of antisemitism at the BBC. A month later, a report revealed that the BBC had violated its own editorial guidelines over 1,500 times during the first four months of the war between Israel and Hamas, noting "a deeply disturbing pattern of bias" against the Jewish state during this period.
A few weeks ago, BBC News presenter, Nicky Shiller, referred to three hostages freed by Hamas as "prisoners," a term similar to that used for terrorists imprisoned in Israel. His remarks caused an uproar, leading the network to issue an apology.