The BBC pulled the documentary about the struggles of a 13 year old Palestinian living in Gaza in February [GETTY]
British TV and filmmakers are urging MPs to press executives in the BBC over the corporation’s controversial removal of a documentary about children in Gaza.
In a letter sent to members of the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee on Monday, the UK Screen Industry urged the lawmakers to ask BBC director-general Tim Davie and chair Dr Samir Shah to “clarify the specific editorial standards relied upon and the decision-making processes that led” to the documentary being pulled.
The committee spoke to Davie and Shah on Tuesday regarding the axe .
The group urged the CMS press the officials on potential breaches of legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations, and asked for clarification on the corporation’s editorial standards.
“We believe that posing this question will facilitate a transparent discussion on the BBC’s editorial policies and its commitment to upholding public trust, journalistic integrity, and creative freedom,” the letter reads.
A separate letter signed by 1,000 industry professionals condemned the move, accusing the corporation of censorship and racism. Among its signatories were sports pundit Gary Lineker, actor Khalid Abdallah and actress Miriam Margolyes.
Following the meeting, Artists for Palestine UK, the group behind the letter, accused the BBC bosses of “throwing Palestinian children under the bus”.
“Rupa Haq asked about the risk of ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater’. We say Tim Davie and Samir Shah are throwing Palestinian children under the bus,” Artists for Palestine said in a statement.
“We welcome Tim Davie saying an independent review of the BBC’s Middle East coverage is appropriate and urge that this accounts for its abject failure to stand by the Palestinian voices it features. We all know Israeli guests would never be treated this way.”
The BBC removed its documentary Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone five days after it was broadcast after seemingly coming under pressure from pro-Israeli supporters.
The film, which was on its iPlayer streaming service, followed the struggles of a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, Abdullah, living through Israel’s war on Gaza.
The corporation removed the documentary after it was discovered that Abdullah’s father, Dr Ayman Alyazouri, worked as a deputy agriculture minister in the Gaza government, which is controlled by Hamas, a group the UK considers a terrorist organisation.
The BBC board issued a statement acknowledging “significant and damaging” errors after an internal review.
The corporation said Hoyo Films, the production company it commissioned to produce the documentary, acknowledged the supposed connection to Hamas after it was broadcast.
The decision was slammed by pro-Palestine activists, accusing the broadcasting house of succumbing to a “politicised campaign” aimed at discrediting the film.
The film prompted a police investigation following numerous complaints, and concerns about the broadcaster’s editorial standards, while the UK government called for an urgent meeting at the BBC.
