BBC admits presenter’s accusation that “Israeli forces are happy to kill children” was not impartial
The BBC Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) has admitted that its presenter’s baseless accusation that “Israeli forces are happy to kill children” was not impartial.
The outrageous and unfounded claim came during an interview on BBC News in July with the former Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, about Israel’s military operation in Jenin, which has now concluded.
When speaking on the topic of the targets of the operation, Anjana Gadgil, the presenter who conducted the interview, stated: “The Israeli forces are happy to kill children.”
Mr Bennett robustly rejected the baseless assertion, including by noting that the seventeen-year-olds in question were armed combatants.
The notion that the military of the state of Israel – the Jewish state – is “happy” to kill minors draws on the symbolism of the blood libel.
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g. claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterise Israel or Israelis” is an example of antisemitism.
The original antisemitic blood libel dates to 1144, when Jews in England were falsely accused of the murder of a boy known as William of Norwich.
Incidents of blood libel grew in the Middle Ages, with Jews accused of murdering Christian children in order to use their blood in Passover rituals. In 1290, it was a pretext for the confiscation of all Jewish property and the complete expulsion of Jews from England. They were not permitted to return until centuries later. The blood libel has been a case of much persecution and murder of Jews ever since, including up to the present day.
In the modern era, updated versions of the blood libel continue to pervade antisemitic discourse. Contemporary manifestations include the accusation that Jews or the Jewish state steal human organs, drink or utilise the blood of non-Jews, or willfully and readily murder non-Jewish – particularly Arab – children.
After Campaign Against Antisemitism and many others complained to the BBC about the comments, the broadcaster apologised. Now the ECU has also published the results of its investigation.
A spokesperson for the ECU said: “The ECU accepted that, as phrased, the statement might have given viewers the impression that they were hearing the presenter’s personal view on a controversial matter, and that it therefore fell below the BBC’s standards of impartiality.”
The spokesperson also said that BBC News had “already acknowledged a problem with the interview” on its corrections webpage and that it, therefore, considered the complaint resolved.
Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].
