Open letter accuses BBC board member of having a conflict of interest on Gaza

Offending or over-accusing sides of this conflict is a very asymmetric risk. Misrepresent Palestinians negatively and you may eventually get an angry, vague letter - with a quarter of signatories doing so anonymously. Misrepresent Israelis negatively and you get very powerful and well-organised protests. BBC is sadly doing the rational thing of staying clear of suggesting Israel may be doing some bad things. It is a Corporation after all and so acts in corporate ways.

But this is also the example coming to them from the top. On the occasions where Israel has clearly committed egregious violations, such as shooting at people massed at the aid dispensal locations or the medics who then got buried in shallow graves, Israel gets barely a whimper of criticism from European politicians - and apparently full-throated cheering and support from the US. The ICC arrest warrant is as forgotten as last year's snow.

So why are we surprised the BBC doesn't want to stick its head above the parapet?

There was a study about negative bias towards Israel at the BBC. It contradicts your explanation.

Do you have a single example of a protest you try to summon here? I very much doubt it.

> Do you have a single example of a protest you try to summon here? I very much doubt it

Here's one example. The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, faced calls to have her visit to the LSE cancelled by various groups, including Campaign Against Antisemitism and Union of Jewish Students. She was also called unfit for office by the US ambassador to the UN.

On another occasion, an organization called UK Lawyers for Israel attacked an article in the Lancet, a medical journal, claiming a high projected death toll and decrease in health in Gaza as a result of the hostilities. A key point made by the organization was that the famine would help reduce obesity prevalent in the territory. UKLFI is an all-star group of legal heavyweights and not one you can easily cross.

And since you ask for sources, could you kindly share yours please?

> There was a study about negative bias towards Israel at the BBC. It contradicts your explanation.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/news/2024/nov/11/pro-israel-camp...

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/10/uk-lawyers-for...