BBC Bans Gaza Journalist Over Antisemitic Social Media Posts

June 01, 2025 – Palestine/Israel – 

The BBC has banned Gaza-based freelance journalist Ahmed Alagha from contributing to its Arabic service following revelations of his antisemitic social media posts. Alagha, who had been reporting for BBC Arabic since early 2023, described Jews as “devils” and claimed Israelis were “not human beings,” according to reports by The Telegraph and JNS. He also praised a terrorist attack near a Jerusalem synagogue on Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2023, referring to the assailant as a “martyr” who “stole my heart.”

Despite these posts, BBC Arabic continued to feature Alagha until May 2025, when the broadcaster’s chairman, Dr. Samir Shah, announced an independent investigation into the Arabic service’s reporting standards. Media watchdogs, including the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA), have criticized the BBC for relying on contributors with evident biases, calling for a review of its Arabic channel’s use of freelancers.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of the BBC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with critics accusing the broadcaster of failing to vet contributors adequately and allowing antisemitic rhetoric to permeate its reporting. The BBC has stated that Alagha was not a staff member and that his views were not known before his appearances.

This development underscores the challenges media organizations face in ensuring balanced and unbiased reporting, particularly in conflict zones where local contributors play a significant role in news gathering.

Reference – 

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-856177

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/31/bbc-blacklists-journalist-israelis-not-human/

https://www.jns.org/gaza-journalist-featured-on-bbc-demonized-jews-online/