The BBC is investigating six of their Arabic journalists, whom the organization has taken off air due to pro-Palestine activity online.
Citing the rule of impartiality imposed on all of the network’s journalists, the six reporters allegedly published and liked posts allegedly showing support for Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Although not formally suspended, the reporters who’ve been taken off air are under investigation.
“We are urgently investigating this matter,” the BBC said in a statement. “We take allegations of breaches of our editorial and social media guidelines with the utmost seriousness, and if and when we find breaches, we will act, including taking disciplinary action.”
The broadcaster has previously been criticized for their language when describing Hamas. BBC has said that they wouldn’t refer to Hamas as “terrorists” despite the Palestinian group being decreed as such by western governments, including the UK.
The British broadcaster says they’re editorially independent, and its job is to “explain what’s happening so viewers can develop their opinions.”
The Guardian, another UK news outlet, has also stated that they will not renew the contract of their veteran cartoonist, Steve Bell, citing his complaints against a cartoon featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pulled.
“It is getting pretty nigh impossible to draw this subject for the Guardian now without being accused of deploying ‘antisemitic tropes,’” the artist said in a social media post.
The Guardian issued a statement regarding Bell’s suspension: “The decision has been made not to renew Steve Bell’s contract. Steve Bell’s cartoons have been an important part of the Guardian over the past 40 years.”
Other organizations within the Commonwealth include the CBC, which in 2021 raised the motion to remove mention of the noun “Palestine” outside of the names of organizations. This raised concerns from over 2,000 journalists in the organization.