BBC employees slam broadcaster of pro-Israel bias in Gaza war coverage

A letter signed by 230 industry professionals, including 101 anonymous BBC staff members, has been sent to BBC boss Sir Tim Davie, calling for fairer coverage of the Gaza conflict.

The signatories, who include notable figures such as Sayeeda Warsi, Juliet Stevenson, and William Dalrymple, accuse the BBC of biased reporting in favor of Israel.

The letter criticizes the BBC for failing to meet its own editorial standards, lacking “consistently fair and accurate evidence-based journalism” in its coverage of Gaza.

This criticism comes after months of controversy surrounding the BBC’s refusal to label Hamas as terrorists, fearing it could be seen as taking sides. Israel condemned the BBC for describing Hamas as “militants” following the October 7 atrocities.

The letter urges the BBC to:

Reiterate Israel’s restriction on external journalists’ access to Gaza
Clarify insufficient evidence backing Israeli claims
Clearly state when Israel is the perpetrator in article headlines
Provide regular historical context predating October 2023
Robustly challenge Israeli government and military representatives in interviews

A current BBC staff member revealed that some colleagues have left the company due to its coverage. This development highlights the growing concern over the BBC’s reporting and its impact on public perception.