The BBC has launched what it is calling an ‘urgent investigation’ into six journalists and a freelancer working for its Arabic-language service over accusations they had shown anti-Israel bias in their coverage and expressed support on social media for Hamas. They were said to have called the attacks that killed more than 1,400 Israelis ‘a morning of hope’ and liked posts that included approvingly captioned video footage of dead and captured Israelis.
I worked for the BBC World Service as a writer for the Russian and South-East European Service, as it then was, in the latter stages of the Cold War
I will leave it for the BBC investigation to reach its conclusions and take whatever action it deems necessary. The Corporation has already said that it has dispensed with the services of one of those concerned. It should also be noted, that it is not always straightforward for Arabic-speaking journalists, including those working for BBC Arabic, to report from Israel, especially at times of high regional tension.
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