CAA to complain to BBC over latest regular appearance of inflammatory Abdel Bari Atwan
The inflammatory broadcaster and regular BBC contributor, Abdel Bari Atwan, has appeared on the BBC News channel once again, despite his recent inflammatory comments.
The JC reported that Mr Atwan recently defended Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ remark that Israel has committed “50 Holocausts” and his refusal to condemn the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack on Israeli athletes. Mr Abbas was condemned by the German Chancellor for his comments, which he made at a joint press conference with the Chancellor on a visit to Berlin, and is facing an investigation by German police.
Mr Atwan reportedly wrote in an article for the news site Raialyoum earlier this month: “I support [Mahmoud Abbas’s] refusal to apologise for the killing of 11 Israeli participants at the 1974 (sic) Munich Olympics, and his use of the term ‘holocausts’ to describe the many massacres to which Palestinians have been subjected by Israeli forces.”
He also reportedly claimed in the article that the Munich terror attack was “not committed by Abbas or by the Black September squad that abducted them” but by “Israeli Mossad operatives and German police,” apparently adding: “[Israeli Prime Minister Yair] Lapid’s hands are soaked in the blood of Palestinian children…Israel, supported by Germany’s guilt complex, considers itself above any law and feels free to twist the facts.”
On the same day as the article, Mr Atwan appeared on the BBC’s Dateline London programme, and said in relation to the recent violent attack on the author Sir Salman Rushdie: “The Satanic Verses actually is blasphemy completely and it is offensive. You know, Salman Rushdie, he was very, very cruel when he talked about the Prophet Muhammad and his wives, and actually, to talk about the wives of the Prophet is really very, very dangerous.” The attack is believed to have been inspired by the fatwa issued and promoted by Iran’s theocratic regime, which has a long history of antisemitic policies.
In April, the JC revealed that Mr Atwan characterised the shooting of three Israelis in Tel Aviv as a “miracle” and described the terrorist as a “hero” and those fleeing for their lives were, he claimed, “like mice”.
In 2007, Atwan is reported to have said: “If Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight.” In 2010, it is claimed that Atwan told an audience at the London School of Economics that “the Jewish lobby… [is] endangering the whole world”.
Mr Atwan’s remarks have drawn concern that he may be accused of having glorified terrorism.
Campaign Against Antisemitism is writing to the BBC and considering legal options.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “Abdel Bari Atwan appeared on Dateline as a commentator primarily to give his view on Saudi Arabia’s dealings with Donald Trump, and the allegations that Mr Trump had passed nuclear secrets to the Saudi state. We also felt it was important to cover the attack on Sir Salman Rushdie. We believe the discussion was fair and duly impartial and we believe it was editorially justified for Abdel to appear. If extreme views are expressed on the BBC, we would always seek to challenge them.”
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is time that the BBC is held to account for regularly platforming Abdel Bari Atwan, who has allegedly spoken in the past about how ‘the Jewish lobby’ is ‘endangering the world’ and has reportedly expressed support for violence against the Jewish state.
“Now, while appearing to offer apologetics for the violent attack on Salman Rushdie because the author’s writings are ‘offensive’, he apparently has no qualms offending Jews and all decent people by doubling down on Mahmoud Abbas’ refusal to condemn the Munich terror attack and his claim that Israel has committed ’50 Holocausts’ and is thus worse than the Nazis, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.
“We are submitting a complaint to the BBC and considering legal action over Mr Atwan’s possible glorification of terrorism.”
Polling that we conducted in 2020 for our Antisemitism Barometer already revealed that two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. It is likely that these figures would be even higher if polled today.
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].
