The BBC is under fire for its Arabic channel's controversial framing of a Hamas attack perpetrated in Ra'anana in January. The incident, which left 79-year-old Edna Bluestein dead and over a dozen others injured (including Nadav Kamer), was the subject of a YouTube post by BBC Arabic that asked viewers whether they viewed the attack as "terrorism or resistance."
Critics argue that this framing suggests the BBC might consider it legitimate to describe Hamas attackers as resistance fighters. The attack, for which Hamas claimed responsibility, involved both stabbings and vehicular assaults.
The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) points out that this incident aligns with the BBC's general reluctance to use the word "terrorism" in relation to attacks on Israeli civilians, even in reference to the October 7 atrocities.
The controversy extends beyond this single post. BBC Arabic's YouTube channel has been criticized for inadequate moderation of antisemitic comments. Videos related to the October 7 attacks and survivor interviews have attracted numerous inflammatory and violent comments towards Jews and Israelis.
In response, a BBC spokesperson stated that BBC News Arabic reflects debates taking place across the Middle East and invites a variety of perspectives. The spokesperson emphasized that BBC News Arabic adheres to the same Editorial Guidelines as the rest of BBC News and takes its commitment to impartiality "incredibly seriously."
Regarding comment moderation, the BBC acknowledged the challenges faced by many media companies on social media platforms. While they employ filtering software, much of their moderation is manual, and with millions of followers, removing offensive comments quickly is not always possible.
* Israel Hayom contributed to this article.
