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Outcry after BBC reporter suggests Jews will live in ‘diverse’ Syria

Comments came after Jeremy Bowen said Israel wanted Assad to remain in power

December 11, 2024 17:09
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Lyse Doucet has attracted ire after she said “Jewish, Muslim, Christian - they’re all here and they want to believe they have a space now as Syria embarks on this new chapter.”
2 min read

There has been outcry over the BBC’s coverage of Syria after the corporation's chief correspondent suggested that Jews will have “a space” in the Arab state's “new chapter”.

In a live report from Damascus, the BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet suggested that Jews in Syria would want to return to the Old City to live next to Muslim and Christian neighbours.

Speaking from the Syrian capital on Wednesday, Doucet said: “This is one of the most diverse countries in the Middle East with multiple Christian [and] Muslim sects and you can see it here in the Old City, all the different quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Christian - they’re all here and they want to believe they have a space now as Syria embarks on this new chapter.”

Doucet’s comments have been widely ridiculed, with Jewish officials pointing out that Syria is home to an estimated three Jews following a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Arab state.

Topics:

Syria

BBC