The BBC continues to face mounting pressure over its editorial decision to not call Hamas terrorists, with hundreds arriving outside their headquarters in London to protest.
Many waved Israeli flags while others held placards with pictures of Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas.
The broadcaster has stood firm on its decision, insisting it has given “careful consideration” to all aspects of its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Complaints have been lodged over the matter, with Tory MP Michael Fabricant even writing to Ofcom.
Gavriel Solomons from the National Jewish Assembly spoke to GB News reporter Theo Chikomba outside the BBC’s headquarters, where he passionately questioned the BBC’s refusal to brand Hamas terrorists.
Asked what he hopes to achieve with the protest, he said: “They have already shown they have some understanding of the untenability of their position.
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“But they still can’t quite say it themselves. Call Hamas the terrorists that they are, we think that is very reasonable.
“What could the BBC be biased against? A terrorist organisation that massacred over 1300 Israelis, kidnapped children, raped women? There’s no reason not to call them that.
“So we hope that they change their position on this.”
Protesters sung a prayer for Israel after hearing from five speakers outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London.
Gavriel Solomons calls on the BBC to call Hamas terrorists
GB NEWS
One placard said “BBC if the King can call Hamas terrorists so can you” while another said “BBC! Hamas are terrorists, not militants!”
In another show of condemnation for the public service broadcaster, they were booed and had shouts of “shame” aimed at them.
Protesters also shouted “don’t pay the licence” and “Hamas is Isis”.
They also yelled “Hamas, terrorists” and “BBC, shame on you” as they waited to hear from speakers.
In a published statement, the BBC said: “Careful consideration has been given to all aspects of our coverage to ensure that we report on developments accurately and with due impartiality in line with the BBC editorial guidelines, which are publicly available.”
It added: “We understand that this is an extremely worrying time for people not only in the region, but also in the UK and around the world, and we have reflected this in our coverage.
“BBC News has provided our global audiences with coverage and first-hand testimony of the atrocities committed by Hamas and the suffering in Gaza.”
Speaking about its decision not to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, it said: “The BBC, along with many other UK and global news organisations, does use the word ‘terrorist’, but attributes it. We have made clear to our audiences that Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and other governments.”
The numbers of complaints are in the higher hundreds, not in the thousands, and there is a handful of numbers difference between the complaints totals for perceived Israeli and Palestinian bias.
