BBC interviewee claims Israel found guilty of genocide on-air
THE BBC has been accused of fuelling anti-israel sentiment after a pro-palestinian student claimed the country had been found guilty of a “plausible genocide” in an interview.
The incorrect comments, made in an interview with Amol Rajan by a student at the University of Leeds were not challenged on-air, and the corporation has told The Telegraph it does not plan to issue a correction.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday morning the student said “the ICJ [International Court of Justice] ruled that Israel is committing a plausible genocide” in Gaza.
Mr Rajan did not correct the claim despite the International Court of Justice judge who presided over the January case saying in a BBC interview two weeks ago that it “isn’t what the court decided”.
Presiding judge Joan Donoghue, who made the ruling, said: “The court is not required to ascertain whether any violations of Israel’s obligations under the Genocide Convention have occurred. That will happen at a later stage.”
Ms Donoghue later said in an interview on the BBC’S Hardtalk programme last month added: “The shorthand that often appears which is that there is a plausible case of genocide isn’t what the court decided.”
The name of the student, who is participating in a campus encampment, was given as Issy.
A BBC spokesman declined to offer a correction. The BBC spokesman added: “The student who was interviewed offered what has been a widespread interpretation of the ICJ ruling. This wasn’t the focal point of the interview, and we made appropriate challenges in other areas.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism condemned the decision, saying the false claim was not a “one-off” and would pour “even more fuel on the fire”.
“People are entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts,” the spokesman said.
“Given how claims about genocide have been so central to the discourse about Israel and Hamas that is firing up anti-semitism in Britain, one would have hoped that journalists and presenters at our national broadcaster would take the time to understand the basics so that they are not pouring even more fuel on that fire.
“If this were a one-off, it would be one thing, but it isn’t.”
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, said the “false interpretation” has had a “terrible impact on social cohesion and the safety of Jews in Britain”.
“Having played a major role in propagating the false interpretation of the ICJ’S ruling in the first place, the BBC has a particular obligation to correct it whenever the issue is addressed,” he said.
The Today programme devoted its prime 8.10am slot to the Leeds student ahead of a meeting of university vice-chancellors, Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary and Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, at No 10 yesterday.
Pressed by Mr Rajan on whether she was opposed to anti-semitism, she said: “Of course we’re opposed to anti-semitism, we’re opposed to all forms of oppression.”
Ms Keegan said: “I respect Issy’s right to free speech but I think her demands were unrealistic, unreasonable and obviously people go to university to share views and to get educated and understand others’ views and I suggest that Issy has probably got a bit of a way to go.”