BBC admits it was wrong in debate

In a statement to the JC, the BBC rejected suggestions of bias and insisted BBC Arabic shared “the same principles of accuracy and impartiality as BBC News in English”.

In a statement this week it said: “We suggested that under the Oslo Accords, Palestinian healthcare is ultimately the responsibility of the Israeli government.

“Although there is a wider dispute over the issue, the Accords, which Israel signed with the Palestine Liberation Organisation, give the Palestine Authority oversight of public health under the principles of self-determination.”

The correction comes in the wake of a JC investigation earlier this month that revealed evidence of anti-Israel bias and inaccuracies in the BBC’s Arabic service.

A detailed dossier of apparent breaches was handed to Broadcasting House that catalogued evidence of the service downplaying attacks on Israelis, using language inspired by Hamas and showcasing extreme views without challenge.  In one case a map was published in which Israel was erased.

The BBC was forced to acknowledge 25 mistakes in its Arabic coverage over the course of just over two years – issuing an average of nearly one correction every month.